BOX SCORE (PDF)

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Top-seeded Troy closed the first half on a 20-8 run and cruised to a 99-77 win against ninth-seeded Coastal Carolina on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship at the Pensacola Bay Center. 

The Trojans (23-7), who were presented with the 2022 Sun Belt Conference regular-season trophy prior to Friday’s contest, trailed 18-17 after the opening quarter. With the score tied at 26 and 6:01 remaining in the first half, Troy scored 20 of the final 28 points of the first half to move in front.  

Troy advances to the semifinal round of the Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship, where it will face the winner between fourth-seeded App State and fifth-seeded Little Rock. That game was in progress at press time. The semifinal game will tip off at 11:30 a.m. CT on Sunday and will be broadcast on ESPN+. 

The Trojans placed four players in double-figure scoring, led by 20 from Jhileiya Dunlap. Felmas Koranga, a 2022 First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection charted a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. That marked her league-leading 15th double-double of the season. Tina Stephens totaled 14 points and Janiah Sandifer added 11. 

Troy shot 47.1 percent (33-of-70) from the floor in the game. The Trojans made 60 percent (12-of-20) of their shots in the second quarter, as they built a 46-34 halftime advantage. Coastal Carolina was limited to a 38.8 percent (26-of-67) shooting percentage. Troy held a 45-39 edge on the boards. 

Coastal Carolina (15-11) was led by 22 points from Aja Blount, a 2022 First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference honoree. In two games at this year’s Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship, Blount averaged 31.5 points per game. Deaja Richardson (14), Arin Freeman (13) and Janeen Camp (12) all scored in double figures. Janae Camp brought down a team-high eight rebounds.