TROY, Ala. (Interstat) — The Troy women’s basketball team used a dominant third-quarter run to pull away from Chattanooga and remained undefeated with a 73-56 victory on Wednesday night at Trojan Arena.

A strong start by the visiting Lady Mocs was quickly erased by the Trojans’ defensive pressure and superior work on the glass, leading to a decisive victory in front of 2,465 fans.

Chattanooga opened the game with precision, building an early lead and finishing the first quarter with a 20-18 advantage. However, the offensive rhythm disappeared in the second period as Troy’s defense clamped down. The Lady Mocs managed only seven points in the quarter, their lowest output in any period this season, and went into halftime trailing 34-27.

Any hope of a Chattanooga comeback was extinguished in the third quarter. Troy outscored the Lady Mocs 21-5, capitalizing on a series of turnovers and missed shots by the visitors to build an insurmountable 55-32 lead heading into the final period. Chattanooga showed a late spark, scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter, but the deficit was far too large to overcome.

The game was ultimately decided by Troy’s control of the paint and second-chance opportunities. The Trojans outscored Chattanooga 36-20 in the paint and held a commanding 9-2 advantage in offensive rebounds, leading to numerous extra possessions. Troy also converted 16 points off Chattanooga’s 14 turnovers, while the Lady Mocs managed just nine points off Troy’s 15 giveaways.

Zay Dyer, a 6-foot-2 forward from Atlanta, was the engine for Troy, posting a formidable double-double with 14 points and 17 rebounds in 27 minutes. She also added three assists and two blocks, anchoring the Trojans on both ends of the floor.

She was complemented by a dynamic backcourt performance from Ashley Baez. The 5-foot-5 guard from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, led all scorers with 18 points, including four three-pointers, and dished out three assists. Fortuna Ngnawo, a 6-foot forward from Bafoussam, Cameroon, provided a major boost off the bench with 13 points and seven rebounds.

For Chattanooga, guard Caia Elisaldez of Whittier, California, filled the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in a team-high 35 minutes. Kalifa Ford from Bono, Arkansas, added 10 points, while Sarah Owona of Opvelp, Belgium, and Ava Card from Montgomery, Alabama, chipped in eight and seven points, respectively.

The loss drops Chattanooga to a 2-2 record on the young season. The Lady Mocs will look to rebound at home against UAB on Sunday.

Troy, now 3-0, will face its toughest test of the season with a road trip to face Kansas State on Tuesday. The Trojans’ early-season success has been built on a high-octane offense and a stifling defense that has now held three consecutive opponents under 60 points.