CONWAY – Jaylen Shaw’s game-high 18 points were not enough as Coastal Carolina fell to Troy 66-65.
CCU (11-16, 5-9 Sun Belt) led 65-63 after an Amidou Bamba dunk with just under two minutes to play. CCU would not score again, but Troy was able to score three points, with the final point coming on a free throw from Kevin Baker with 22 seconds left.
CCU had a chance at the end, but a Shaw field goal attempt missed the mark and Troy held on for the win.
Both teams shot 43 percent from the field, but the difference was Troy’s ability to knock down 12 three point field goals, while CCU only hit four.
Bamba came off the bench to score 15 points and Artur Labinowicz had 12. Zac Cuthbertson was the fourth Chant to reach double-digits with 12 points.
CCU out rebounded Troy 39-29 and outscored the visitors in the paint 34-14. The Chants also had 25 points from the bench to 21 for Troy and the Chants only had eight turnovers for the game, it was the fewest turnovers this season.
Demario Beck had seven rebounds to lead CCU’s effort and Labinowicz and Shaw had six. Shaw also had four assists and two steals.
Troy’s two leading scorers, Wesley Person (18.8) and Jordan Varnado (17.2) were held far below their average. Person finished the game six points and Varnado had nine.
Alex Hicks scored a team-high 16 points to lead Troy (13-13, 7-6 Sun Belt). Baker came off the bench to score 14 and Javan Johnson finished with 12 points on four three point field goals.
The two teams went into the locker room at halftime even at 31. Troy was able to outscore CCU 8-2 over the final two minutes of the half to even the score.
Troy hit seven three point field goals in 18 attempts for 39 percent. The Trojans only hit two regular field goals and were six of eight at the free throw line.
Johnson hit three of those threes and led Troy with nine first half points. Hicks and Adams had six points each.
CCU was only one of 12 on its three point attempts, but did hit 10 of 17 of the regular field goals and shot 38 percent in the first half overall.
Shaw led the way with 11 points and Labinowicz, Bamba and Cuthbertson had six each.
The Chants will host South Alabama in the final regular season home game of the season. The game is set for Saturday, Feb. 17 at 3:30. It will be Senior Night as the CCU seniors will be introduced before the game.