Troy stumbles at home to South Alabama despite career effort from Zay Williams

Troy could not overcome a slow start and trailed for nearly the entire game in a 58-51 loss to South Alabama on Saturday night. The Trojans drop to 4-8 in conference play and will have to wait until at least 2022 for their first regular season win over the Jaguars since 2018.

Forward Zay Williams led Troy with 14 points and pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds. The Trojans shot just 33.3 percent from the field and turned the ball over 16 times in the loss.

Here are our takeaways.

Cold off the block

The first half was a struggle for Troy offensively with the Trojans shooting just 26.7 percent in the opening 20 minutes. Over the last 7:19 of the half Troy didn’t see a single shot attempt fall through the net in 10 attempts.

In that span, USA turned a one-possession game into a commanding 31-19 halftime lead with an 11-0 run.

“We were shooting terrible shots in the first half and that’s the bottom line,” Troy coach Scott Cross said after the game. “We just had no rhythm.”

Cross added that losing second-leading scorer Nick Stampley early in the game to foul trouble added to Troy’s offensive issues.

To compound on top of Troy’s shooting woes, the Trojans were able to get to the free throw line just once and Zay Williams came up empty on both freebie attempts.

Strong defense in the interior kept the Jaguars from creating too much space as USA managed just five field goals inside the three-point line in the first.

Michael Flowers, the Sun Belt’s leading scorer at 21.9 points per game, was held to just eight points in 40 minutes on the floor.

Finding points and fighting the storm

There were multiple points where the game could have easily escaped Troy’s reach but the Trojans never fell completely out of the game. Cross’ squad had to weather several three minute-plus scoring droughts.

In the first half, Troy lived and died by the three and struggled to find life. The shot selection changed drastically in the second half, though.

“In the second half we did make a few adjustments,” Cross said. “Went to more of our zone offense and were able to get a little bit of rhythm.”

After picking up four wins in a row, Troy has now dropped three straight and remain stranded at the bottom of the Sun Belt East.

“We’ve got to win the hustle points and be the tougher team,” Cross said. “Both games South won the hustle points. Even though we won the battle of the boards, when there were lose balls (USA) was getting them. They got more steals than us and more blocked shots and all those types of things add up.

“That has to be who we are. If that’s not who we are then we aren’t good enough talent wise because we’re still too young to win games.”

Williams gaining traction as a top rebounder

The junior had just two games of 10-plus rebounds over his first two seasons but registered his seventh of the year against the Jags. Williams has now pulled in at least 15 rebounds in three of his last five games after picking up 15 against Spring Hill College and Georgia Southern.

“I’m just being more aggressive crashing the glass and trying to effect the game,” Williams said. “And trying to get my team more offensive shots.”

Williams is now averaging 8.9 boards per game which would make him fifth in the league and second in the Sun Belt East.

“Obviously his rebounding was phenomenal,” Cross said. “He did score pretty good, as well. He was the one guy who was really getting it going. Zay’s a great player… We need him to be great.”

Troy returns to action on Tuesday night at home against Georgia State.