Troy Zips Past Akron, 79–69

Akron opened the game with a dunk, but Troy made sure it didn’t define the night.

The Zips attacked the rim on the first possession and grabbed early energy inside Trojan Arena. For a moment, it looked like Troy might be in for a fast-paced night. Instead, the Trojans answered on the other end and quickly settled into their rhythm, pulling away for a 79–69 win.

Against a top-50 caliber program, the Sun Belt leaders didn’t rush anything. The opening minutes were physical, with both teams trading finishes in the paint. But once Troy found its spacing, the game began to tilt. The Trojans built a double-digit lead midway through the first half and carried that cushion into the break, forcing Akron to play from behind the rest of the night.

“Our guys were really locked in mentally,” head coach Scott Cross said postgame. “We played great offensively.”

It showed in the way Troy operated. The Trojans weren’t forcing quick shots or trying to match speed for speed. They reversed the ball, attacked closeouts and trusted their half-court execution. When Akron tried to extend pressure, Troy responded with poise and clean possessions.

Cooper Campbell set the tone. The guard finished with 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, adding five assists without committing a turnover. He scored within the flow, attacking downhill when lanes opened and knocking down perimeter looks when the defense collapsed.

“It was a great game for him to really get back in the offensive flow,” Cross said. “But all our guys were locked in.”

Troy’s biggest statement may have come on the defensive end. Akron entered the matchup as one of the better perimeter shooting teams in the country, capable of erasing deficits quickly. The Trojans never allowed that run to materialize. Closeouts were sharp, help defense arrived early and possessions ended with rebounds. The Zips were held to roughly 27 percent from three-point range.

“They’re one of the best offensive teams in the country,” Cross said. “And we did a great job. When our guys defend and rebound at a high level, good things happen.”

Akron pushed to start the second half, increasing tempo and trying to shrink the gap. The Zips cut the deficit to single digits midway through the period, but each time they threatened, Troy responded. A defensive stop. A composed offensive possession. A timely finish at the rim. Nothing forced, nothing rushed.

“We can’t take possessions off against a team like Akron,” Cross said. “If you take a play off, they’re going to make you pay. We took very few plays off today.”

Down the stretch, Troy dictated pace. The Trojans used the shot clock, made Akron defend full possessions and prevented any serious late run. The lead never fully disappeared, and the home crowd stayed engaged as the final minutes ticked away.

“This was an opportunity to show the world how good they are,” Cross said. “That we have a really connected basketball team.”

The win sends Troy into a four-game road stretch with momentum, but the message afterward stayed grounded.

“Confidence is huge,” Cross said. “You just don’t want it to be so confident that you think you can take a play off.”

What started with an Akron dunk ended with Troy firmly in control, with 40 minutes of focus, discipline and efficient basketball.