Gardner's Historic Night Guides Bulldogs Past Trojans

Box Score | Season Stats
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - Sophomore Isaac Gardner (Washington, Iowa, Washington) was nearly unstoppable on Monday night, draining a program single-game record 10 three-pointers and scoring 30 points to guide the Truman men's basketball team to a 76-73 win against Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) in Pershing Arena.

Gardner, who hit the most three-pointers of any MIAA player this season by sinking 10 of 14 total attempts from long-range, led four Bulldogs (7-17) in double-figures, as Truman built a six-point lead with three minutes to play and held on against an HLG (10-15) squad that shot 53% from the floor and out-rebounded the 'Dogs 40-26.

Neither team ever led by more than seven in a game that featured eight ties and ten lead changes. While HLG did its damage in the paint, Truman did its from long-distance, sinking 14-of-26 triples as a unit for a 54% mark. Freshman Andrew Vander Zwaag (Johnston, Iowa, Johnston HS) hit his biggest of three three-pointers of the night with 43 seconds to play, coming off a screen to put the 'Dogs ahead by five at 74-69.

Gardner's night marked the first time a Bulldog player reached the 30-point mark in more than eight years, as Matt Beran scored 31 against Missouri S&T on Jan. 22, 2003. In addition, junior guard EJ Hicks (Davenport, Iowa, Davenport Central) dished out 11 assists, the most by a Bulldog since 2007 when Banks Estridge handed out that many on March 1, 2007 against Emporia State.

Truman finished the game with 17 assists to five turnovers, with Mike Carlson (Superior, Wisc., Marshall HS) adding four blocks off the bench.

Jackson finished with 19 points, with sophomore Marek Bush (Kansas City, Mo., Lincoln Prep) finishing just shy of a double-double with 12 points and nine assists. Vander Zwaag was the last 'Dog to reach double-figures, finishing with 11 points and a pair of steals.

Truman returns to action on Wednesday (Feb. 15) night at 7:30 pm when it hosts MIAA-leading Northwest Missouri State in Pershing Arena as part of a current four-game homestand.

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