Troy Defeats Louisiana 78-59 in Sun Belt Matchup

Trojans pull away in second half behind Jerrell Bellamy's 25 points

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team struggled offensively in a 78-59 loss to Troy in Sun Belt Conference play on Tuesday night. Louisiana was led by Jaxon Olvera's 19 points, but the team shot just 43% from the field and was held to 23 points in the first half as Troy built an early advantage. Troy used an efficient offensive performance in the second half to pull away, outscoring Louisiana 51-36 over the final 20 minutes. Jerrell Bellamy scored 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting to lead the Trojans, while Thomas Dowd added 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

Why it matters

The loss marked the second defeat to Troy this season for the Ragin' Cajuns, who are now 10-20 overall and 7-10 in Sun Belt play. Louisiana will look to bounce back in their regular season finale against Arkansas State on Friday as they aim to close out the year on a high note.

The details

Louisiana was led by Jaxon Olvera's 19 points, while Karris Bilal added 12. The Ragin' Cajuns struggled shooting the ball, connecting on just 43% of their field goal attempts. Troy, on the other hand, used a balanced and efficient offensive attack to pull away in the second half. Jerrell Bellamy scored a game-high 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting, while Thomas Dowd contributed 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

  • The game took place on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.
  • Louisiana will face Arkansas State in their regular season finale on Friday, February 27, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.

The players

Jaxon Olvera

A player for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns who led the team with 19 points in the loss.

Karris Bilal

A player for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns who scored 12 points in the game.

Jerrell Bellamy

A player for the Troy Trojans who scored a game-high 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting.

Thomas Dowd

A player for the Troy Trojans who contributed 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

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What they’re saying

“We just couldn't get anything going offensively in the first half and that really put us in a hole. Troy is a tough team and they made us pay for our mistakes.”

— Jaxon Olvera, Louisiana Player

What’s next

Louisiana will look to end their regular season on a high note when they face Arkansas State on Friday, February 27, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.

The takeaway

This loss to Troy marks the second time this season the Ragin' Cajuns have fallen to the Trojans, highlighting the need for Louisiana to regroup and finish the year strong against Arkansas State in order to build momentum heading into the Sun Belt Conference tournament.