Men's Basketball 2/11/2013 3:13:00 PM Tyler Madsen, Truman Athletics

Men's Basketball Returns Home to Face Bearcats

Game 22: TRUMAN (7-14, 4-9 MIAA) vs. Southwest Baptist (8-13, 6-7 MIAA)

Date: Thursday, February 14, 2013
Time: 7:30 pm CT
Location: Kirksville, Mo. || Pershing Arena
Radio: 104.7 KRES-FM (Moberly, Mo.) || Listen Online
Video: Watch Online
Live Stats: Regular || Mobile || Media
Game Notes: Truman || Southwest Baptist
Statistics: Truman || Southwest Baptist || MIAA
Social Media: @TrumanAthletics

For Starters:
For the first time in February, the Truman men's basketball team will return to Pershing Arena, as the Bulldogs welcome Southwest Baptist to Kirksville for a 7:30 pm tipoff on Thursday, Feb. 14.

As part of the Athletic Department's annual “Think Pink” night, the Bulldogs (7-14, 4-9 MIAA) will be out to snap a four-game losing streak, dating back to an 80-79 victory against Nebraska-Kearney on January 24. Included in this recent stretch was a 76-73 loss at SBU on February 2 – a game that saw the Bulldogs rally from an 11-point second-half deficit before eventually falling just short.

The Bulldogs enter the week 13^th in the MIAA, while SBU sits in a tie for ninth – each with five league contests to play.

Probable Starters:
G – #2 – Seth Jackson – 6'3” – 200 – SO – 11.5 ppg | 4.1 rpg | 1.2 apg | 2012 MIAA FOY
F – #5 – Mike Carlson – 6'9” – 200 – JR – 16.3 ppg | 6.4 rpg | 2.0 apg | 87% FT; 32 blocks
G – #12 – Cory Myers – 6'3” – 190 – FR – 6.5 ppg | 2.9 rpg | 4.4 apg | 41% FG; 28 steals
C – #21 – Marek Bush – 6'6” – 245 – JR – 3.8 ppg | 5.1 rpg | 0.3 apg | 38 O-Reb
G – #22 – Tom Norton – 5'9” – 170 – SR – 13.3 ppg | 0.9 rpg | 1.0 apg | 3.6 3FG/gm

Off the Bench:
G – #3 – Isaac Gardner – 6'4” – 205 – JR – 6.6 ppg | 1.4 rpg | 0.3 apg | 44 3FG
G – #10 – Matt Patterson – 5'10” – 165 – SR – 1.9 ppg | 0.7 rpg | 1.1 apg | 46% 3FG
G – #11 – Cole Myers – 6'3” – 190 – FR – 4.7 ppg | 2.2 rpg | 2.0 apg | 28 steals
F – #15 – Jaylon Jones – 6'5” – 230 – FR – 4.2 ppg | 2.0 rpg | 0.4 apg | 45% FG
G – #20 – Dominic Kacich – 6'3” – 170 – SO – 6.0 ppg | 0.0 rpg | 1.0 apg | 1 GP
F – #33 – Tyler Anderson – 6'5” – 210 – SO – 5.7 ppg | 4.0 rpg | 0.5 apg | 58% FG
C – #35 – Patrick Burmester – 6'9” – 235 – SO – 0.8 ppg | 2.7 rpg | 0.5 apg | 6 GP

2013 Redshirts:
C – #24 – Kiefer Starbird – 6'10” – 200 – FR
G – #30 – Andrew Vander Zwaag – 6'3” – 185 – SO
F – #32 – Connor Erickson – 6'8” – 190 – FR

Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Matt Woodley
Career Record: 15-34 || .306 || 2^nd season
At Truman: Same
MIAA: 9-24 || .272
Assistant Coaches: Todd Lorensen (2^nd season), Matt Fitzpatrick (2^nd season)

Bulldog Buckets:
·         The Bulldogs are scoring 71.0 ppg on the season (69.8 MIAA), shooting 44.1% from the field (43.0% MIAA), and 36.4% from three-point range (37.4% MIAA). The Bulldogs are connecting at a 71.7% clip from the foul line through all 21 games, with that mark raised to 75.4% in 13 MIAA contests.
·         Truman has already surpassed its 2012 road win total (2-12) through eight road contests (3-5 in 2013) and can match the 2012 home win total (6-7) with a pair of wins in its final two home games,
·         The Bulldogs have experienced success in the post this year, averaging 28.0 points from inside the lane. That compares to just 24.8 points from in the paint for their opponents, leading to a +3.2 margin by the 'Dogs.
·         Truman has had nine 20+ point outings this season, including a team-best six by junior Mike Carlson. Carlson (vs. WPU; Nov. 9, 2012) and senior Tom Norton (vs. UNK; Jan. 24, 2013) are tied for the team-high this year with 27-point games.

'Dogs Amongst the League Leaders:
·         The Bulldogs are ranked in the top-third of MIAA team statistics in three-pointers made per game (3^rd; 7.9), assist-to-turnover ratio (4^th; 1.1) and three-point field goal percentage (5^th; 36.4%).
·         Mike Carlson is one of the MIAA's top players statistically this year, ranking third in the MIAA in free throw percentage (87.3%), fourth in blocks (1.5), sixth in steals (1.6), seventh in scoring (16.3), and 11^th in rebounding (6.4).
·         Tom Norton has finally played enough games to qualify for the conference leaderboard, jumping into first place in three-pointer made per game (3.6) and sitting third in three-point percentage (43.3%).
·         Isaac Gardner ranks seventh in the MIAA in three-pointers made per game (2.1), while Cory Myers ranks seventh in the MIAA in assists (4.4).

Series Notes vs. Southwest Baptist:
Series Record: SBU leads 29-19
Last Meeting: SBU 76, Truman 73 (Feb. 2, 2013 || Bolivar, Mo.)
Series Streak: SBU W-2
Record in Kirksville: TSU leads 14-10 (Truman W-2)
Last TSU win in Kirksville: Truman 80, SBU 79 (Dec. 7, 2011)
Woodley vs. Southwest Baptist: 1-2

Scouting the Bearcats:
The Bearcats (8-13, 6-7 MIAA) are in the midst of a four-game road trip that started with a 100-91 loss at Missouri Southern on Feb. 7 before a come-from-behind 81-75 victory at Pittsburg State on Saturday, Feb. 9. The Bearcats trailed by 22 with 11 minutes to play before coming all the way back to pick up just its second road win of the year.

Preston Guiot is the team's top statistical producer, ranking third in the MIAA at 5.4 assists per game, while also sitting behind Tom Norton in second place on the three-pointers per game chart at 2.7.

Damion Hooks ranks seventh in the MIAA in field goal percentage at 55%, having scored 18 points back on the Feb. 2 meeting. In that game, Rashaad Brown-Peterson stole the show for the home squad, pouring in 24 points and adding three steals.

Jeff Guiot is in his ninth season as the program's head coach.

Notably vs. SBU:
·         Marek Bush had eight points and 11 rebounds in 33 minutes off the bench in the earlier meeting this season. He is averaging 4.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in five career games.
·         Mike Carlson has made three starts against SBU, averaging 15.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
·         Isaac Gardner has made 14 three-pointers in five career games against SBU, averaging 8.4 ppg. In the 80-79 win last season in Kirksville, Gardner went 6-for-6 from long-range, scoring 18 points.
·         Seth Jackson scored 17 points off the bench in the Feb. 2 meeting this season and has averaged 9.0 points in three career games.
·         Tom Norton has made 14 three-pointers in seven career games against SBU, averaging 8.1 ppg.

Looking Around the MIAA:
Just two and a half weeks remain in the 2012-13 MIAA season, and tight races up and down the standings have set the stage for a wild end to the regular season.

The Bulldogs currently are alone in 13^th place at 4-9, one game back of Missouri Western for 12^th, 1.5 games back of Emporia State for 11^th, and two games back of both SBU and Missouri Southern for ninth. All of those teams, however, benefit from Lindenwood currently sitting tied for fifth, as the Lions are not eligible for the MIAA tournament this season due to its reclassification to NCAA Div. II. As a result, every team below them will slide up one spot come tournament time.

Truman also has to keep a check on two teams behind them looking to move up in Nebraska-Kearney (14^th; 3-10) and Lincoln (15^th; 2-11). The purple and white benefit from holding the tiebreaker against UNK and will be after a season sweep of LU next weekend.

At the top, one game separates seven teams from the conference title, as Central Missouri and Fort Hays sit atop the league precariously at 9-4. Northeastern State (9-5) and Washburn (8-4) are just a half-game back, while Northwest Missouri, Central Oklahoma, and Lindenwood are all one game back at 8-5.

Three > Two:
Both Tom Norton and Isaac Gardner are well-known for their three-point marksmanship; however, each has taken it to a higher-level this season, as neither player has made a single two-point shot in MIAA play. The duo are a combined 77-for-191 (40.3%) from beyond the arc in league action but have gone 0-for-10 on two-pointers in the 13 MIAA contests.

Bring Some Chips to the Block Party:
Junior Mike Carlson has a team-high 32 blocks this season, giving him 57 through 49 career games as a Bulldog. He is all alone in ninth all-time in Truman history and is 10 back of Brian Brown's 8^th-place total of 67, set from 1997-2000.

Norton Patrol:
Senior guard Tom Norton is now 20^th all-time on Truman's scoring chart, having scored 1,077 career points. He is just two points behind Grant Agbo (2003-07) for 19^th and four back of Nick Certa (2004-08) for 18^th on the all-time chart.

In addition, Norton has 259 career three-pointers, ranking second all-time at Truman. He needs 41 more to tie Steve Schieppe's top mark of 300, accomplished from 1987-91.

“Free”bies:
Overall through 13 MIAA games, the Bulldogs are shooting 75.4% (202-for-268) from the charity stripe. Helping contribute to those numbers is a combined 154-for-182 (84.6%) line from Mike Carlson, Tom Norton, Seth Jackson and Cory Myers – Truman's top four scorers in league play.

Making a Splash from Downtown:
The Bulldogs have made at least one three-pointer in every game since Feb. 12, 2003, a stretch of 273 consecutive games.

Up Next:
The Bulldogs get a full week off following Thursday night's game, not taking the floor again until the Thursday, Feb. 21 home game against Lindenwood. The Bulldogs will recognize its two seniors – Tom Norton and Matt Patterson – prior to that contest in the final home game of the 2013 season.

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