Troy head coach Maestri hopes to get more games

For the first time in a while, Troy head coach Don Maestri didn’t have words for his team after a 78-75 loss to South Alabama on Sunday night that eliminated the Trojans from the Sun Belt Tournament.

“We don’t talk after losses,” Maestri said on Monday afternoon.

The Trojans lost for just the third time in 2009, but this was the most devastating. Seeded No. 3 and winners of 14 of 16 heading into the quarterfinals, the Trojans couldn’t beat sixth-seeded South Alabama for a third time. The Trojans, who beat every other SBC team this year, had high hopes of winning the tournament.

“South Alabama played a very good basketball game,” Maestri said. “Lashun Watson (18 points) probably played his best basketball game. DeAndre Coleman (17 points) played well and (Domonic) Tilford (20 points) played well.”

It marked the third time in four years that Troy beat a team twice in the regular season, but had that same team end its season. UL-Lafayette pulled it off in 2006 and Middle Tennessee ended Troy’s season in 2007.

On the bus ride back, Maestri said his team will head home for spring break and reconvene for a final team meeting. He’s also holding out hope that Troy has some more basketball left.

The Trojans (19-12) are a longshot for the National Invitation Tournament, but two more tournaments have been created in the past two years. Tulsa won the inaugural College Basketball Invitational presented by the Gazelle Group. This year, the first CollegeInsider.com Tournament will take place.

Both 16-team tournaments will likely compete for teams and the fields will be announced after the NCAA and NIT fields are released.

Maestri said his team would take any bid offered and is hopeful for one.

“Maybe this team can play some more,” Maestri said. “It would be better for us in recruiting and it would be a reward for this special season.”

On the recruiting trail, the Trojans have five scholarships to give. The team has no commitments, but will host prospects and look to sign a good class this spring.

“Hopefully we can get a (Division I-A) transfer or two,” Maestri said. “We need a backup point guard, so maybe we can find a freshman there. Other than that, we just want to find a couple more guys that can help us.”

Troy will return six players that contributed and two more that redshirted who are expected to play big roles next year — forwards Bernard Toombs and Trayce Macon.

On a schedule note for 2009-10, the Trojans will play at UAB and at Auburn, Maestri said. No other contracts for non-conference games have been signed yet.