{"id":259161,"date":"2025-11-03T06:44:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T06:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/259161\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T06:44:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T06:44:10","slug":"womens-basketball-opens-2025-26-with-mac-sbc-challenge-against-toledo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/259161\/","title":{"rendered":"Women\u2019s Basketball Opens 2025-26 with MAC-SBC Challenge Against Toledo"},"content":{"rendered":"

TROY, Ala. \u2013 The 2025-26 Troy women’s basketball season kicks off in Trojan Arena on Monday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m. as the team invites Toledo to town for game one of the MAC-SBC Challenge.
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\nMonday’s matchup sparks the 2025-26 season with a pair of top-three teams in their respective conferences, as Troy (0-0) was selected third in the SBC Preseason Poll, while Toledo (0-0) was picked second in the MAC.
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\nMeet Information
\nLocation: Troy, Ala. \u2013 Trojan Arena
\nMatchup: Troy vs. Toledo
\nWhen: Monday, November 3 \u2013 6 p.m.
\nWatch: ESPN+
\nListen: Troy Sports Radio Network
\nStats: troytrojans.com\/livestats
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\nMAC-SBC Challenge: Game One
\nTroy eyes its first game one win of the MAC-SBC Challenge in year three of the challenge as it faces a familiar opponent from 2024-25 in Toledo. The program’s matched up in the Cherokee Tournament in Cherokee, N.C. in 2024 with the Rockets coming out on the top despite a 16-point performance from Ashley Baez<\/a> and eight points from Leilani Guion<\/a> on a pair of triples.
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\nThe 2025-26 Preseason Polls placed Troy third, following last year’s regular season champions James Madison and tournament champion Arkansas State. The Trojans took a league-high three preseason nods individually with Zay Dyer<\/a> on the All-Sun Belt First Team, followed by Rachel Leggett<\/a> on the second team and Ashley Baez<\/a> on the third team.
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\nAll eyes are on No. 5 for the Trojans in Dyer as she comes off a 2024-25 season, where she earned All-Sun Belt First Team, was a two-time Sun Belt Player of the Week, and landed on both the WNIT All-Tournament Team and the 41st Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament Team. She broke Kathy Russell’s single-season rebound record, which had stood since 1979-80, with 395 rebounds. Dyer averaged 13.8 points and 10.4 rebounds in 36 starts (37 games played), elevating her performance in the postseason with 16.6 points, 11 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game in the WNIT.
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\nEn route to leading the nation in rebounding for the seventh straight season in 2024-25 with 49.05 per game, the Trojans also broke the program record for total rebounds (1,864). Troy also set new single-season records for points (3,045), field goals made (1,142), field goals attempted (2,685) and blocks (80).
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\nNotables
\n\u2022 With Dyer earning Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team honors, Troy has had a first-team preseason selection in four of the last five seasons.
\n\u2022 Troy’s 13-player roster features five returners and eight newcomers: Detavia Salter<\/a>, Saniya Jackson<\/a>, Shakirah Edwards<\/a>, Kamesha Moore<\/a>, Jasmine Timmons<\/a>, Lana Koricanac<\/a>, Rachel Leggett<\/a> and Marianah Achol<\/a>.
\n\u2022 Despite adding four true freshmen, Troy remains experienced with eight upperclassmen \u2014 seven seniors and one junior.
\n\u2022 For the first time since the 2021-22 season, the Trojans’ coaching staff remains unchanged with head coach Chanda Rigby<\/a>, associate head coach Jennifer Graf<\/a>, and assistant coaches Stephanie Murphy<\/a> and Grace Daniels<\/a> returning.
\n\u2022 The five returners accounted for 55.7% of the team’s points, 50.3% of rebounds, 53.9% of steals, 40.5% of blocks and 35.1% of assists in 2024-25.
\n\u2022 Troy reached the WNIT Championship game last season, falling to Buffalo after a historic run.
\n\u2022 The Trojans led the nation in rebounds per game (49.05) for the seventh consecutive year and led the Sun Belt in scoring (80.1), blocks (4.7) and assists (15.4).
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