TROY, Ala. (Interstat) — The Troy women’s basketball team used a dominant second-quarter surge and a commanding performance on the glass to overcome a slow start and defeat Appalachian State 69-59 in a Sun Belt Conference matchup Wednesday night at Trojan Arena.

The Trojans, now 19-3 overall, trailed by three points after a high-scoring first quarter but seized control by holding the Mountaineers to just six points in the second period. Troy outscored Appalachian State 19-6 in that frame, turning a 20-17 deficit into a 36-26 halftime lead from which they would not look back.

Zay Dyer, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Atlanta, was the catalyst for Troy, finishing with a game-high 20 points, four blocks, and a relentless presence on the offensive boards. Her interior defense and scoring helped steady the Trojans after Appalachian State’s early offensive burst. Emani Jenkins of Dallas added 13 points for Troy, including a pair of critical three-pointers in the fourth quarter that helped extinguish Appalachian State’s final rally.

The Mountaineers (10-12) came out aggressively, shooting efficiently to build a 20-17 lead after the first quarter behind early baskets from Daisia Mitchell and Feryal Defne Atli. However, their offense stalled completely in the second quarter, managing only 2-of-16 from the field as Troy built its double-digit cushion.

The most important stretch of the game came late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, as Appalachian State mounted its most serious challenge. After trailing by as many as 14, the Mountaineers used a 12-2 run, capped by a Daisia Mitchell layup and free throw, to close the third quarter and cut the deficit to 50-49 entering the final period. The surge injected life into the visitors and threatened to undo Troy’s earlier work.

But the Trojans responded immediately to open the fourth. After Appalachian State missed three chances to take the lead on its first possession, Zay Dyer scored inside on the other end. Then, with the lead at just 54-52, Emani Jenkins struck from beyond the arc twice in a 90-second span, part of a 9-0 Troy run that pushed the advantage back to 62-52 with just over four minutes to play. Jenkins’ second three-pointer, assisted by Rachel Leggett, effectively sealed the game, restoring a comfortable margin that Appalachian State could not overcome in the closing minutes.

While the Mountaineers won the turnover battle, committing only eight to Troy’s 10, and shot a stellar 8-of-9 from the free-throw line, they were undone by poor shooting and a massive rebounding disparity. Appalachian State shot just 33.8% from the field (23 of 68) and 25% from three-point range (5 of 20). More critically, Troy dominated the glass, grabbing 21 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points and a 21-10 overall advantage in offensive boards. Troy’s 96.3 offensive rating on 72 possessions outpaced Appalachian State’s 84.0 on 70 trips, underscoring the efficiency gap.

Daisia Mitchell led Appalachian State with 12 points, while Jada Burton and Elena Pericic each added 11. Feryal Defne Atli, a 6-foot-3 freshman from Turkey, contributed 10 points. The Mountaineers had four players in double figures but lacked a consistent scoring punch outside of their early first-quarter success.

Troy’s balance and depth proved decisive. Beyond Dyer and Jenkins, Leilani Guion provided eight points and key defensive plays, while point guard Ashley Baez orchestrated the offense and contributed four points and three assists. The Trojans also shared the ball effectively late, with Saniya Jackson tallying four of her seven assists in the fourth quarter to help close out the win.

The victory extends Troy’s strong conference campaign and solidifies its position near the top of the Sun Belt standings. Appalachian State, meanwhile, sees a two-game winning streak snapped as it continues its search for consistency on the road.

An announced crowd of 1,373 at Trojan Arena watched the contest.

Appalachian State travels to face Kent State in non-conference action on Saturday. Troy’s next game is at home against Louisiana-Lafayette on Feb. 12.