Matt Ryan scored 21 points and David Jean-Baptiste combined with Rod Johnson to help mount a second-half comeback that propelled the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to a 74-68 basketball win Tuesday night at Troy.
The Mocs (2-1), who shot just 28.7% (8-of-28) in the first half, trailed 41-27 after Troy's Zay Williams hit a jump shot to open the second half, but Jean-Baptiste and Johnson hit consecutive 3-pointers to get within eight, then duplicated the result three minutes later to close the gap to 48-43.
The Troy lead was 60-55 with 5:29 to play when Ryan drove for two, and following a Trojans' free throw he tied the game at 61 with his fourth 3-pointer off a pass from Ramon Vila. The Mocs took their first lead of the game, 65-63, on an A.J. Caldwell layup and free throw, then stretched it to five when Ryan was fouled while completing a drive and added a free throw.
Jean-Baptiste added 13 points and four steals, while Caldwell had seven of his nine points in the second half for the Mocs, who hit 16 of 29 shots (55.2%) after halftime. Vila, plagued by foul trouble early, led all rebounders with 10 in just 21 minutes and added four assists. Ryan led the team with five assists.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.