Box Score | Season Stats

KIRKSVILLE - - A go-ahead, second-chance three-pointer with ten seconds to play in overtime helped Emporia State overcome a 19-point second-half Bulldog lead, as the Truman men's basketball team fell, 74-71, on Saturday night in Pershing Arena.

A lay-up with 16:14 to play in the game gave Truman (3-6, 1-4 MIAA) a 50-31 lead, but the Hornets (7-4, 4-1 MIAA) slowly began to chip away. The 'Dogs continued to lead by as many as 16, 52-36, with 13:24 left; however, ESU rattled off a 20-5 run to pull within one at 60-59 at the 6:26 mark.

Truman held off the pesky Hornets for nearly four minutes, getting a free throw by Ethan Freeman and a jumper by Stefan Garrison (Osceola, Mo., Osceola), but ESU finally jumped ahead by one, 64-63, off a Michael Tyler basket with 2:31 left.

Garrison responded with a three to put Truman ahead again, but Tyler laid it in on the other end to knot the score at 66. Neither team was able to convert the rest of the way, with an Alex Henderson (Willard, Mo., Willard) three-pointer missing at the buzzer to send the teams to overtime.

The teams traded points at the outset, with a pair of Henderson free throws putting Truman ahead, 70-69, with 38 seconds to play in the extra frame. After a missed ESU three-pointer, Marek Bush (Kansas City, Mo., Lincoln Prep) hit one of two free throws to give Truman a 71-69 edge with 25 seconds to play.

Matt Boswell missed a shot on the other end, but the rebound went right to Taylor Euler, who fed Robert Moores for a three-pointer and a one point ESU edge, 72-71.

Truman looked to push the tempo, but Tom Norton (Bloomington, Ill., Bloomington Catholic)'s pass was too far ahead of Henderson and went out of bounds for the Bulldogs' tenth turnover of the night. After two Jarvis Nichols free throws put the Hornets ahead by three, Henderson's desperation three was off-line as the buzzer sounded at 74-71.

Henderson scored 22 points, aided by a 12-for-13 effort at the charity stripe, while Garrison and Ethan Freeman (Urbandale, Iowa, Urbandale) added 11 apiece. Truman shot 37% from the floor for the night, but was just 7-for-25 from long-range. The Bulldogs did convert from the line at a 74% (20-for-27) rate.

Michael Tyler came off the bench to score a career-high 22 for ESU on 8-of-8 shooting. Matt Boswell chipped in a ten-point, ten-rebound double-double.

The Bulldogs are off until Monday, Jan. 3, when they head to Fort Hays (Kan.) State for a 7:30 pm tipoff.