Bulldogs Excel in Overtime to Take Down Emporia

Box Score | Season Stats
KIRKSVILLE - - Four Truman men's basketball players totaled double-figure points, and the Bulldog men scored 20 points in overtime to down Emporia (Kan.) State University 77-70 on Saturday afternoon in Pershing Arena.

Freshman Seth Jackson (St. Louis, Mo., CBC) (13 points), junior Tom Norton (Bloomington, Ill., Central Catholic) (12 points), and freshmen Mike Carlson (Superior, Wisc., Marshall) (11 points) and Tyler Anderson (West Des Moines, Iowa, Valley) (11 points) spearheaded the Bulldogs (6-14, 4-9 MIAA) to their first win in five outings, snapping a four-game losing streak and handing the visiting Hornets (8-11, 4-9 MIAA) their fifth straight setback.

The Bulldogs, after building a 29-20 lead at the break, opened up an 11-point lead less than three minutes into the second half before the Hornets tied the game at 34 behind red-hot three-point shooting. The Hornets would eventually lead by as many as seven, 51-44, with 7:32 to play, before Truman methodically manufactured a 9-1 run to take a 53-52 lead with 1:55 to go in the ballgame. A pair of ESU free throws put the Hornets back on top by one before a Jackson free throw knotted the tally again at 54-all with 1:21 to play.

Norton hit a three-ball with 46 seconds left before ESU hit three more free throws down the stretch to tie it again with 20 seconds on the clock. A shot by Norton with four seconds left hit three sides of the rim and sent the teams to an extra five minutes.

In the overtime, the teams played to a 62-62 tie through the first 2:30 before the 'Dogs grabbed a 65-63 lead with 1:50 to go. On Truman's next possession, Norton buried his second triple of the night while freshman Andrew Vander Zwaag (Johnston, Iowa, Johnston) was fouled setting a screen, giving Truman an opportunity for a five-point possession. Vander Zwaag hit both free throws, putting the 'Dogs on top 70-63.

From there, the lead would never be less than five, as Truman moved into a tie for 8^th in the MIAA with the Hornets with seven games to play in the regular season.

For the game, Truman took just 43 field goals, making 19 for a 44% clip, and hit five of 13 three-pointers. The Bulldogs made up for their lack of overall shots at the foul line, however, sinking 34 of 48 free throw attempts. The 34 free throws made were the most by a Bulldog squad in more than 23 years (Jan. 18, 1988 vs. Quincy; 36) while the 48 free throws attempted marked the most since a Feb. 22, 1997 game against Lincoln (49 attempts).

The four Bulldogs in double-figures were joined by nine points by Vander Zwaag, while Truman out-rebounded the Hornets 40-26 overall. Carlson paired his 11 points with eight rebounds, while sophomore Marek Bush (Kansas City, Mo., Lincoln Prep) also added eight rebounds with six points. Truman out-scored the Hornets 26-16 in the paint and 10-5 on second chance points.

Tola Lawal led all players with 15 points for the Hornets, who shot 37% from the floor overall (21-for-57), 11-for-34 from three-point range, and 17-for-25 from the free throw line.

The Bulldogs will return to action on Wednesday (Feb. 1) night in Kirksville when they host Washburn (Kan.) University at 7:30 pm. The Ichabods will come to Pershing Arena with a 14-6 overall mark (8-4 MIAA).

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