Troy Wins Back-to-Back Sun Belt Championship Titles

For the second year in a row, Troy University's men's basketball team is dancing their way to the NCAA Tournament after capturing another Sun Belt Championship title.

The Trojans crushed Georgia Southern 77-61 in Pensacola, Florida, becoming the first team since Georgia State (2018-19) to win back-to-back Sun Belt Tournament championships. Troy dominated from start to finish, leading for nearly the entire game and shooting an impressive 59% from the field.

Thomas Dowd put on a championship performance that won't soon be forgotten. The star forward dropped 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for his 17th double-double of the season, earning him the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award.

His night became even more special when he crossed the 1,000-point milestone in the second half, becoming just the 30th player in Troy history to reach that mark. The senior nearly had a double-double in the first half alone, scoring 13 points and collecting eight rebounds before the break.

Troy's defense smothered Georgia Southern's leading scorer Tyren Moore, holding him to just 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting. Moore had been averaging 22 points per game during the tournament, but the Trojans' defensive pressure changed that story quickly.

The rebounding battle told the whole story. Troy outrebounded the Eagles 35-17, marking their third-largest rebounding margin against a Division I opponent all season. When you control the boards that decisively, winning becomes much easier.

The Bright Side

This victory means so much more than just another trophy for the display case. Troy earned the No. 1 seed by winning the Sun Belt regular season outright with a 12-6 conference record, then backed it up when the pressure was highest.

Head Coach Scott Cross, who earned his 350th career win with the championship, summed up the team's spirit perfectly. "We have great players that are really connected, so many ball handlers and skilled guys," Cross said. "It was an all-around team performance, and I'm just super thankful and blessed to be able to coach this group of guys."

Jerrell Bellamy joined Dowd on the All-Tournament team after averaging 18.5 points and three blocks across Troy's two tournament games. His energy and rim protection helped Troy win five straight Sun Belt tournament games across two seasons.

The Trojans now await Selection Sunday on March 15 to learn their NCAA Tournament matchup, still seeking that elusive first Big Dance victory in program history.

This championship proves that sustained excellence is possible when teammates stay connected and play for each other.