Game Preview:
For the third time this season and second straight game, the Truman Women's Basketball team will look to take down a nationally ranked opponent as they will close out the 2011 calendar year with a trip to #23 Emporia State University on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Truman has previously dealt losses to #24 Quincy University 79-69 and last time out stunned #15 Washburn 68-66 in Topeka. The win against the Lady Blues broke an 18-game streak and was the first win by a Bulldog team at Washburn since the 1979 season.
With the win over Washburn, Truman went from three votes to 26 votes in the latest WBCA/USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll. Truman is one of seven MIAA teams either ranked or receiving votes with Pittsburg State leading the group at number 18.
Emporia reentered the poll after downing a pair of ranked opponents last week and extending their winning streak to seven straight. The Lady Hornets knocked off Northeastern State (Okla.) 60-54 and Central Missouri 80-66 while in the process, senior guard Heather Robben, earned the MIAA player of the week award by averaging 23 points for the week.
Robben is one of four Lady Hornet players averaging in double-figures at 13.8 points per game while Rachel Hanf leads the team at 14.3 points per night.
About The Bulldogs:
Four of Truman's five starters are averaging in double-figures in scoring with juniors Jennifer Conway and Becka McHenry tied for the lead at 13.4 points per game. Freshman Allie Norton (11.1) and senior Breanna Daniels (10.7) along with the fifth starter, sophomore Nicole Gloor (8.0) have led Truman this season.
The Bulldogs are averaging 76.4 points per game, up nearly a dozen points from last season while shooting 44% from the field, 43% from beyond the arc and 76% from the foul line.
The Series:
The Bulldogs will be looking to reverse a similar curse against the Lady Hornets on Saturday. Emporia has won 19 of the last 20 meetings and 18 straight at White Auditorium over the 'Dogs. However last year, Truman led by nine points in the second half but a 16-2 run coupled with two free throws by former Lady Hornet Alli Volkens with two seconds showing gave ESU 67-65 win.
The Hornets also trailed at the half in Kirksville but outscored the Bulldogs 41-26 in the final 20 minutes to run away with a 65-53 win back on Dec. 18. Since that loss, Truman has gone 16-12 with six MIAA road wins and a 10-11 mark in the MIAA.
Breanna Daniels averaged 16.5 points in the two outings against Emporia State last season while Volkens averaged 19.5. The biggest discrepancy last year was made three pointers. Truman was just 6-of-22 (27%) while the Lady Hornets connected on 13-of-31 treys (42%). Truman also had 19 fewer free throw attempts but did force 35 turnovers while committing just 23 of their own.
Bulldogs Fast Start:
This is the third time the Truman program has started the season with a 8-1 record. The last was the 2007-08 season. Only two other times has a Bulldog women's basketball team been 9-1, those years were 1998-99 and 2007-08.
Bulldogs Fast Start (Part II):
Truman has had the lead at the half in six of the nine games this season and has outscored opponents in the first 20 minutes 332-246 (+86).
Bulldogs In The Polls:
Truman received 26 votes in the WBCA/USA Today Division II Top 25 poll this week, which was the third straight week they have been mentioned. It is the first time they had garnered some votes since Jan. 15, 2008 when they picked up votes in two consecutive weekly surveys. The team also received votes in the Dec. 14, 2004 poll.
From Dec. 8, 1998 through Feb. 22, 2000, with the exception of one poll, the Bulldogs either received votes or were ranked nationally, a span of 21 polls. The highest ranking achieved was 14th on Jan. 25, 1999.
The WBCA/USA Today Division II poll is released each Tuesday during the season.
Surpassing A Grand:
With 13 points against Pittsburg State, senior Breanna Daniels became the 16th Truman women's basketball player to eclipse 1,000 points for a career and first since Georgia Mueller did so in 2009.
Daniels has started 77 of 90 games played during her Bulldog career and is shooting nearly 40% from the field with 122 made three pointers. Her single-game high in points is 27 against Northwest Missouri on Feb. 17, 2010. She is averaging 11.5 points per game. Daniels had 61 double figure scoring nights with one double-double.
Daniels is third all-time in Truman history in made three-pointers (122), third in three-pointers attempted (354), eighth in free throw percentage (.789) and 10th in field goals (398), field goals attempted (1003) and games started (77).
Notable National Rankings:
The first set of national rankings were released on Dec. 11th and Truman second in Division II in three-point field goal percentage (43%) trailing fellow conference member Central Missouri (44%) for the national lead.
Truman is fourth in Division II in turnovers per game (12.4) and fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.28). They are 15th in the country in scoring margin (+18.9).
Individually, Allie Norton is 11th in three-point field goal percentage and the second freshman listed at 49% while Becka McHenry is 15th in the country in assists per game at 5.3.
Notable Conference Rankings:
Truman is ranked in the top five in 15 categories tracked by the MIAA. The team's highest ranking is first in three-point field goal percentage (43.4%) and assist/turnover ratio (1.3). The Bulldogs are second in turnover margin (+6.1) and free throw percentage (76.0%).
Becka McHenry
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T-11th Scoring (13.4/g)
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11th FG Pct. (46.2%)
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1st Assists (5.3/g)
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7th FT Pct. (77.8%)
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4th Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.2)
Jennifer Conway
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T-11th Scoring (13.4/g)
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8th FG Pct. (50.0%)
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9th Rebounds (7.3/g)
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6th FT Pct. (79.3%)
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14th Blocks (0.9/g)
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8th Off. Reb. (2.7/g)
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11th Def. Reb. (4.7/g)
Allie Norton
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23rd Scoring (11.1/g)
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9th Assists (3.1/g)
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7th 3pt Pct. (49.0%)
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2nd 3pt Made (2.8/g)
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6th Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.6)
Breanna Daniels
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27th Scoring (10.7/g)
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15th Rebounds (6.6/g)
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13th 3pt Pct. (40.6%)
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9th Def. Reb. (5.1/g)
Jenny Dorman
Nicole Gloor
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T11th Steals (1.4/g)
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15th Off. Reb. (2.3/g)
Bulldog Tip-Ins:
· Truman is averaging 76.4 points and shooting 44% from the field, 43% from the arc and 76% from the line. Last season the team averaged 62.7 points shooting 39% from the field, 33% from beyond the arc and 66% from the free throw line.
· The Bulldogs are winning the battle of the boards. Truman is grabbing 39.3 per night while giving up just 31.9.
· Three Bulldogs have topped 20 points this season. Becka McHenry and Nicole Gloor had single-game highs of 22 with McHenry's coming against Missouri Southern and Gloor's against Pittsburg State. McHenry also had 20 against Pittsburg State and Jennifer Conway scored 20 against William Penn.
· Truman has had five different players through eight games lead them in scoring. McHenry has four games while Conway (2), Daniels, Gloor and Jenny Dorman each have one game.
· Four Bulldogs have each recorded double-doubles through nine games. Jennifer Conway has two while Breanna Daniels, Allie Norton and Becka McHenry have one apiece. Three Bulldogs recorded double-doubles last season with five coming from Jennifer Conway and one apiece from Amy Galey and Megan Sharpe.
Up Next:
Truman will be off until Jan. 2, 2012 when they will host Fort Hays State University at 1:00 p.m. in Pershing Arena. The Tigers are having a big year as well after missing the conference tournament a season ago. Fort Hays was 12-14 and 9-13 last year while winning nine of their first 10 games this season.
Player Notes:
#3 Aqua Corpening – Has appeared in six games during her freshman season…shooting 53% from the field with a season-high 11 points coming against Central Methodist…in the game against the Eagles, was 4-of-5 from the field with three three-pointers and three assists.
#5 Allison Wiese – Has appeared in six games, one in the MIAA thus far…scored a season-high six points against Central Methodist while playing 13 minutes and adding two steals.
#10 Kaitlin Stump – Has missed the past eight games with an injury…only action of the season was in the opener against Lindenwood-Belleville where she played eight minutes and had one assist.
#12 Allie Norton – Started all nine games and leads the team with 25 three-pointers and a 49% three-point shooting percentage…has scored in double-figures six times this season with a season-high 16 points against Quincy and Missouri Southern…is second on the team with assists with 28 and dished out 10 for a double-double against Central Methodist.
#13 Jenny Dorman – Came off the bench in all nine games this season…scored in double figures twice with a season-high 19 points against Central Methodist…averaging just over 15 minutes per game and is shooting about 40% from the field and from beyond the arc.
#15 Jennifer Conway – Started all nine games and leads the team in rebounding (7.3 rpg) and is tied in scoring at 13.4 points per game…has been in double-figures nine times this season with a high of 20 points against William Penn…shooting 50% from the floor and has two double-doubles.
#21 Megan Sharpe – Joined the team on Dec. 3rd after earning all-America honors for the third straight year on the volleyball court…has come off the bench in three games and had the game-winning basket against #15 Washburn as time expired while also playing a season-high 25 minutes.
#22 Becka McHenry – Team leader in minutes played at 28.6 per game while also leading in scoring 13.4 and assists with 48…has scored over 20 points on two occasions with a high of 22 against Missouri Southern…been in double-figures six times and had a double-double with 10 assists against Southwest Baptist.
#24 Sarah Gaeddert – Had played in six games this years and averaging 9.1 minutes…scored a season-high four points against both Lindenwood-Belleville and Central Methodist and added three assists with six rebounds in a win over Rockhurst.
#25 Bianca Szafarowicz – Has come off the bench in all nine games and is the leading reserve with 17.1 minutes per game…scored a season-high 11 points in a win over William Penn and pulled down nine rebounds with six offensive in a win against Lindenwood-Belleville.
#32 Nicole Gloor – Started all nine games and is the team's top defensive player…has scored in double-figures four times this season with a high of 22 against Pittsburg State…leads the team in steals with 13…averaging over 22 minutes per game.
#41 Rachel Remick – Played in all nine games and scored in eight…season-high is six points on two occasions against Lindenwood-Belleville and Central Methodist…posted a season-high nine rebounds against Lindenwood-Belleville.
#42 Breanna Daniels – Has started all nine games and is averaging 27.1 minutes in each…has been in double-figures six times with a season-high 14 points coming against Rockhurst…has one-double-double on the season with 13 points and 12 rebounds against Lindenwood-Belleville…went over the 1,000 career point total with 13 against Pittsburg State on Dec. 3.
