NEW ORLEANS – A suffocating defense in the second half combined with another strong outing from Jordon Varnado propelled Troy to a 69-62 win over South Alabama in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament on Wednesday.
The Trojans (16-16) trailed by six at the break after shooting 32.4 percent (11-34) in the opening 20 minutes, but the defensive and offensive woes soon disappeared as the Trojans hit 43.3 percent from the field (13-30) and 40 percent from three (4-10) to close it out.
While Varnado was the most dominant player on the court with 22 points and nine rebounds, it was the Trojans’ defense that stole the show.