Troy punches their ticket to the Fab 4 for the second straight year

For the second straight game, the Troy women’s basketball team survived an overtime matchup, outscoring North Dakota State 16-7 in extra time on Monday night in the Scheels Center to advance into a second straight WNIT Fab 4.

Five Trojans contributed in overtime via 10 free throws as Troy (23-13) triumphed over the Bisons (21-12) for a second time in 2024-25 en route to its second straight WNIT Fab 4 appearance. Troy now heads to Illinois State for a shot at the WNIT Championship game on Wednesday, April 2 at 6:30 p.m.

For the third straight game, five Trojans ended with double-figures, led by a career-high 22-point performance from Briana Peguero on 10-of-11 at the charity stripe. Shaulana Wagner followed suit with 18 points and a team-high four assists, while Zay Dyer (14), Brianna Jackson (14) and Fortuna Nganwo (11) all joined her with 10-plus points. Troy lit up the scoreboard via the free throw line, hitting 26 at the line and dominating the rebound battle, 56-37.

Avery Koenen willed North Dakota State with a 23-point, 14-rebound double-double, tying Abby Schulte with a team-high of five assists – Schulte also had 12 points. Abbie Draper, Molly Lenz and Marisa Frost also ended with double digits in the scoring column with 10, 11 and 10 points, respectively. North Dakota State shot efficiently in regulation but went cold in overtime with a 3-of-13 showing to end its season.

The Bisons started off hot from deep as Abby Krezewinski got the assist Koenen and hit from deep to take an 84-81 lead with 4:32 left in overtime.

Krezewinski’s triple was the Bisons’ last points until 0:50 remaining as Dyer went back-to-back-to-back inside, including her first off a travel by the Bisons and the third on a second-chance opportunity to hold an 87-84 lead with 2:13 in extra time.

Jackson and Peguero continued the 10-0 run until 1:01 showed on the clock at the charity stripe as both hit a pair to take a 91-84 lead. North Dakota State ended its scoreless drought via Claire Stern, who hit a layup with 0:50 remaining.

In the final minute of regulation, the Trojans polished off their overtime onslaught, going 4-of-6 at the line on free throws by Wagner (3) and Emani Jenkins (1) to punch their ticket into the WNIT semifinal round and sweep the Bisons.

Neither side gave way in the third quarter as North Dakota State held the 62-61 advantage heading into the final 10 minutes. Troy set the tone with 8:54 remaining via Wagner and Ngnawo as she finished the and-one and Ngnawo finished in the paint for a 64-62 lead.

Koenen calmed the start by Troy with a free throw, but the Trojans ramped it back up behind the arc. First, a miss by the Bisons ended in the hands of Peguero, who converted her second triple, 69-63, with 7:05 on the clock. After another miss by North Dakota State, head coach Chanda Rigby called the timeout and drew up the play for Jenkins. Out of the timeout, Jenkins banged in the jumper to take a 71-63 lead.

A four-point run by Dyer allowed Troy to take its largest lead of the game, 77-68, with 3:40 remaining. North Dakota State launched its comeback with a hook shot by Draper and a triple from Abby Graham, 77-73, with 2:41 left. Both sides kept battling as Peguero hit a free throw to make it a 79-75 game with 0:23 on the clock.

With 0:19 left, Lenz threw up the triple and Peguero was called for the foul – Lenz hit all three at the charity stripe to make it a 79-78 game. The senior guard proceeded to get fouled on the inbound and make it a three-point game at the line, 81-78. Four seconds later, Lenz got the assist from Schulte and sent the game to overtime with a triple.