BOX SCORE (PDF)
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Starr Jacobs, the 2022 Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, scored a game-high 28 points and brought down 11 rebounds to lead second-seeded UTA to its first-ever Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship with a 76-61 win against top-seeded Troy on Monday at the Pensacola Bay Center.
The Lady Mavs (20-7) earn the Sun Belt Conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. For UTA, it is the first conference tournament championship since winning the Southland Conference Tournament in 2007. UTA will make its third all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2007.
“Today, it was our day,” UTA head coach Shereka Wright said. “I thought our kids competed for 40 minutes. It was a very tough game. They didn’t fold. They faced adversity. They stayed together. That’s what it looks like to be a champion. They understood that. I am so happy for our university, our athletics department, our student-athletes and our staff. It takes a village to get to this point and we’re celebrating today.”
Jacobs was named the event’s Most Valuable Player, averaging 28.0 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game over the three-game stretch at the Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship. In Monday’s title tilt, Jacobs turned in her league-leading 15th 20-point game of the season. She made 10-of-21 shots from the field and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line. With 11 rebounds, she notched her fourth double-double of the season and second consecutive.
De’Sha Benjamin contributed 14 points, including a trio of three-pointers, and Terryn Milton added 12 points and eight rebounds. Milton also earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Claire Chastain brought down 10 rebounds to complement four points.
For the game, UTA shot 40.3 percent (27-of-67) from the field while limiting Troy to just 29.2 percent (21-of-72) shooting. The Trojans entered the game ranked fifth nationally in scoring offense at 79.5 points per game, but were limited to just 61 points on Monday. UTA won the rebound battle 51-46.
UTA led for more than 39 minutes in the game. The Lady Mavs took a 12-point lead after the opening quarter and extended it to 24 points late in the second. Troy cut its deficit to 11 (66-55) with 4:11 left in the game but was unable to get any closer.
Troy (24-8) was led by Felmas Koranga and Tina Stephens, both of whom were named to the All-Tournament Team. Koranga notched her league-leading 16th double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Stephens also charted a double-double with a game-high 14 rebounds and 10 points. Tiyah Johnson was the third Trojan in double figures with 11 points.
“I’m heartbroken for the team,” Troy head coach Chanda Rigby said. “We wanted to represent Troy with another championship today. UTA did an exceptional job. They out-played us, especially in the first half. We’re not used to that. That hurts, but it’s true. They played a better game than us.”
2022 Sun Belt Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team
Most Valuable Player: Starr Jacobs, UTA
Terryn Milton, UTA
Tina Stephens, Troy
Felmas Koranga, Troy
Sali Kourouma, Little Rock
Lanay Wheaton, Louisiana