Varnado scores 20 points, Troy downs North Alabama 77-58
TROY, Ala. (AP) — Jordon Varnado scored 20 points with five assists, BJ Miller added 18 with three 3-pointers and Troy pulled ahead early to beat North Alabama 77-58 on Saturday.
Alex Hicks had 13 points with eight rebounds and Darian Adams added 11 with three 3s for the Trojans (3-3), who held the Lions to 32 percent shooting and outscored them 36-16 in the paint.
North Alabama led briefly and Kendarius Smith's 3-pointer tied it at 15, but Adams' hit a go-ahead 3 and Troy pulled ahead on a 12-4 run for a 35-28 halftime lead on Miller's 3. Varnado scored 11 points in the half and the Trojans got 10 second-chance points off of five offensive boards.
Javan Johnson and Miller hit consecutive 3-pointers and Troy led by 20 on Miller's 3-point play off a fast-break layup with 7:32 to play.
Smith scored 16 points with four 3s and Jamari Blackmon added 15 points for the Lions (2-4).
