Box Score | Season Stats
KIRKSVILLE - - The Truman men's basketball team held visiting Southwest Baptist to just 32% from the field and got 22 points by Alex Henderson and a career-high 18 from Pat Sodemann to race past the Bearcats, 80-68, on Saturday afternoon in Pershing Arena.
Truman (6-13, 4-11 MIAA) trailed just once before a three-pointer by Henderson gave the 'Dogs a 7-5 lead at the 16:19 mark of the first half. SBU (10-11, 7-8 MIAA) would tie it once more at 9-9, but Truman's defense stifled the 'Cats while the offense continued to click, allowing Truman to open up a 39-21 halftime advantage.
The Bulldogs would then push it to a 22-point margin at 55-33 with 12:33 in the second half and maintained a 60-42 lead after a free throw by Ethan Freeman with 7:54 to play. But after struggling to a sub-20% mark from deep through the first 30-plus minutes of the game, the Bearcats began to connect, closing the Truman lead to four, 70-66, with 1:43 to go in the game.
However, the 'Dogs sealed the game from the charity stripe, hitting 10 of their final 11 free throws, and splitting the season series with SBU.
For the game, Truman shot 41% from the field and connected on five of 16 three-pointers. The Bulldogs, though, were nearly lights-out from the line, draining 31 of 37 (84%) free throws, as Henderson and Sodemann combined to go 23-for-24.
Henderson's 22 points were paired with six rebounds, with Sodemann adding 18 points and six rebounds of his own. Vesko Filchev also topped double-figures, scoring 16 points and pulling down nine rebounds, while Ethan Freeman – the MIAA's leading rebounder – reached his season-average as well with nine rebounds.
The Bulldogs out-rebounded SBU, 48-44, and head the Bearcats to just 12-of-46 from three-point range. In addition, Truman committed just 12 turnovers against the high-pressure SBU defense and forced eight of its own.
Truman returns to action on Thursday night against No. 13 Fort Hays (Kan.) State, tipping off in Pershing Arena at 7:30 pm.
Additional Notes:
- The 31 free throws made marked the most by a Bulldog squad since Nov. 20, 1999 against Quincy (Ill.) University. It ties for the eighth-most in program history.
- Henderson also etched his name in the record books for his efforts from the line, marking the most in a single game by an individual player since Banks Estridge drained 15 against SBU on Jan. 20, 2007. It also tied for the eighth-highest mark in program history.
- Henderson (239 FT's made) cracked the program's all-time top-ten, passing Terry Bussard's 238. He now trails teammate Ethan Freeman (244) for ninth all-time.
- Freeman played in his 100th career game on Saturday afternoon and has yet to miss a game as a Bulldog.
- Freeman also moved into ninth all-time on Truman's career rebounding chart, reaching 717 for his career. He is 13 behind Erik Hansen's 730 for eighth all-time.
