Troy Trojans
Sun Belt Conference (19-12, 14-4)
RPI: 131
Big Wins: 1/15 at South Alabama (94-70), 1/24 at Arkansas Little Rock (63-58), 2/14 Western Kentucky (87-82)
Bad Losses: 11/17 at UNC Wilmington (95-107), 11/20 vs Centenary (77-81), 1/10 Louisiana Lafayette (81-83)
Coach: Don Maestri
Probable Starters:
Michael Vogler, Junior, Guard, 10.2 ppg, 5.8 apg, 2.0 spg
Brandon Hazzard, Junior, Guard, 16.1 ppg, 1.7 apg
Richard Delk, Junior, Guard, 13.8 ppg, 2.5 apg, 4.8 rpg
Antywan Jones, Junior, Forward, 4.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg
Tom Jervis, Senior, Center, 6.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
Travis Lee, Junior, Guard, 5.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg
Mario Telfair, Senior, Forward, 6.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg
Kenny Ware, Senior, Forward, 5.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg
Josh Williams, Senior, Guard, 3.3 ppg, 1.5 apg
Why They Can Surprise:
Troy has one of the most dynamic offenses in the nation and the man who makes it all go is point guard Michael Vogler. The 6-1 junior dishes out 5.8 assists per game and only turns it over 2.7 times per contest. The turnovers look a little high, but for a team that scores 77.7 points per game only committing 2.7 per contest is not bad at all. In fact, the Trojans as a team rank 50th in the nation in turnovers and Vogler deserves much of the credit for that impressive number.
Vogler can do some scoring too, but he leaves a bulk of the shooting to Brandon Hazzard and Richard Delk. Hazzard connects on 2.5 three-pointers per game and hits 44.6 percent of his attempts. Delk is not as effective or efficient in his outside shooting, but he can hit the long ball and will score in other ways too.
Why They Can Disappoint:
The guards do a decent job of helping out on the glass, especially Delk who averages 4.8 rebounds per game, but this is still a team that ended the regular season with a negative rebounding margin. Center Tom Jervis is easily the best rebounder on the team. The 7-0 senior averages 6.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in only 20 minutes of play. When he is on the floor Troy is a decent rebounding team, but half of the game he is sitting on the bench and that is when the trouble on the glass is very evident.
Who To Watch:
Coach Don Maestri does have quite a few options to help out in the frontcourt. Mario Telfair, Kenny Ware and Antywan Jones have all earned at least one start this year and they all average between 16 and 18 minutes per game. Telfair is the most productive of the bunch in the scoring and rebounding department. At 6-6, he is a little undersized, but he is a tough player who is not afraid to mix it up in the paint. Ware is more of a wing than a forward. He can hit the outside shot, but also will work hard on the glass. When the Trojans are in dire need of a rebound, Ware will be at the small forward position and Jervis will be manning the five spot.
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 77.7 (29th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 76.7 (318, 13)
Field-Goal Percentage: 46.0 (66, 3)
Field-Goal Defense: 45.0 (259, 8)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 8.7 (13, 1)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 37.5 (48, 2)
Free-Throw Percentage: 69.7 (139, 6)
Rebound Margin: -2.1 (256, 9)
Assists Per Game: 14.2 (93, 1)
Turnovers Per Game: 12.5 (50, 3)
Joel’s Bracket Says: First Round loss to College of Charleston
