Women's Basketball 7/29/2013 9:44:00 AM

A Closer Look: GLVC Women's Basketball

This series, running from June 27 – August 22, 2013, highlights Truman State University's transition from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association to the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Please refer to the schedule below for each installment throughout the summer series.

Previous:
June 28 – Rich History of Bulldog Athletics in MIAA
July 1 - A New Era Begins: Bulldogs Join GLVC
July 5 – GLVC Football Begins Second Year
July 8 – Volleyball Sets High Goals for 2013 Campaign
July 11 – A Closer Look: GLVC Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
July 15 – Women's Soccer Preps for First GLVC Campaign
July 18 – A Closer Look: GLVC Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
July 22 – A Closer Look: GLVC Men's Soccer
July 25 – A Closer Look: GLVC Men's & Women's Swimming

GLVC Links:
2013 Standings ll 2013 Statistics ll 2013 All-GLVC Team

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – After gaining respect and moving up the standings in the MIAA, the Truman Women's Basketball team will be looking to contend for a title this winter in their first campaign as a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Bulldogs are coming off their third 20-win season in program history and will be led by new head coach and Bulldog All-American Amy Eagan.

The Bulldogs finished the 2012-13 season with a 20-8 overall record, their first 20-win season since Eagan led the team to a 22-9 mark and the NCAA tournament in 1999. Truman has won the last nine games against future GLVC opponents, including 3-0 records the last two years.

Eagan will be no stranger to the GLVC venues as she was the assistant coach during the Quincy Hawks championships in 2004 and 2005. Her boss at that time, Larry Just, was named the GLVC Coach of the Year with Jessica Stuckman earning Player of the Year honors during that two-season span.

Eagan also has a bit of GLVC history at Truman. She set the Truman single-game scoring record when she poured in 46 points in a victory at Southern Indiana in December of 1998.

About the GLVC
Women's Basketball began as a conference sport in the GLVC during the 1983-84 season with the conference postseason tournament added in 1998. Since 2005, the league has been split between two and three divisions based on geography and with the new season the conference will go to a "four, four-team pod" system for scheduling purposes.

The Bulldogs have been placed in the pod with Quincy (Ill.) Missouri-St. Louis and Maryville (Mo.) while members of the other three pods include Missouri S&T, Drury (Mo.), Rockhurst (Mo.), William Jewell (Mo.); Lewis (Ill.), Wisconsin-Parkside, McKendree (Ill.) Illinois-Springfield; St. Joseph's (Ind.), Indianapolis, Bellarmine and Southern Indiana. Teams will play home and home within their pod and single games against everyone else once for a total of 18 league tilts.

The top 12 teams earn a berth into the GLVC postseason tournament with the top four seeds automatically advancing to the neutral site venue. The remaining teams will play a first-round game on the Sunday prior to the four-day event in Evansville, Ind.

Since 2003, no fewer than four GLVC teams have advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament and have four regional championships and one (former member Northern Kentucky- 2008) national title.

Last season, Lewis won the east division and was the overall #1 seed in the GLVC tournament with a 14-4 conference record. The Flyers defeated #2 Maryville 76-61 in the championship game to earn the automatic berth into the NCAA field. They were joined in the tournament by Wisconsin-Parkside (20-10 overall), Indianapolis (19-10 overall) and Kentucky Wesleyan (20-9 overall).

Bulldog History w/GLVC Teams
Truman has won nine straight against current GLVC members including three this past season. The Bulldogs opened the home season with a 94-64 win over McKendree followed by a 62-52 win against Quincy. Truman wrapped up the sweep of future GLVC members with a 67-49 win over Rockhurst.

Overall, Truman is 92-78 (.541) against current GLVC members with the majority of games played against Missouri S&T (28-24 Truman), Quincy (22-18 Quincy) and Missouri-St. Louis (15-13 Truman).

The only two teams Truman has never played on the hardwood are Lewis and Wisconsin-Parkside and Truman does not have a win in six meeting with the Drury Panthers.

The Bulldogs will begin their GLVC slate with their old rival Quincy on Saturday, December 7th on the road. Following the New Year holiday, travel to Lewis and Wisconsin-Parkside before returning for the conference home opener on January 9 against Illinois-Springfield.

Upcoming
August 1 – GLVC Men's Basketball Preview
August 5 – GLVC Men's & Women's Tennis Preview
August 8 – GLVC Women's Golf Preview
August 12 – GLVC Baseball Preview
August 15 – GLVC Softball Preview
August 19 – GLVC Award Season Preview

Print Friendly Version