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Truman State University Athletics

Team16_WJC1
Caitlin Staver
83
Southern Arkansas SAU 4-6
89
Winner Truman TSU 9-3
Southern Arkansas SAU
4-6
83
Final
89
Truman TSU
9-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Southern Arkansas SAU 34 49 83
Truman TSU 47 42 89

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Iowa Wesleyan

1/3/2016 | 1:00 PM

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Jan. 03 (Sun) / 1:00 PM
 Iowa Wesleyan
History

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Tyler Madsen, Athletics Communications

Vander Zwaag Named to All-Tournament Team as 'Dogs Complete 3-0 Week

BOX SCORE (.PDF)
SEASON STATS
 
QUINCY, Ill. - - The Truman State University men's basketball team used a 24-5 run over the final seven minutes of the first half to take the lead once and for all against an athletic Southern Arkansas squad on Sunday afternoon, as the Bulldogs capped a three-win week with an 89-83 victory against the Muleriders inside Quincy University's Pepsi Arena.
 
The Bulldogs – who improved to a GLVC West division-best 9-3 to close the 2015 calendar year – trailed by six, 29-23, after a putback by SAU's (4-6) CJ Elkins with 6:59 to play in the opening half. From there, however, Truman caught fire, hitting eight of its final 13 shots in the first half, including five three-pointers, to soar into the halftime break with a 47-34 lead. The 24-5 rally included a 13-0 burst in the final 4:30 to close the half after SAU drew even at 34-all.
 
In the second half, Truman's lead was as many as 16 with just 10:18 to play before the Muleriders began to chip away. SAU went on a 13-1 run to close to within four at 66-62 and got to within one possession at 68-65 with 5:50 remaining on the clock. After hanging onto a 73-69 lead with just 4:47 to play, another Bulldog blast – this time a sustained 10-0 run that lasted nearly four minutes – gave Truman an 83-69 lead with 1:06 to play.
 
The Muleriders frantically attempted to claw back one last time, but strong free throw shooting in the final minute kept SAU at bay.
 
All eight players that saw the floor scored for Truman, led by its two seniors – Cole Myers (21) and Andrew Vander Zwaag (17). Junior Connor Erickson added 15 points and six rebounds, while junior Dwight Sistrunk, Jr. scored eight points and nabbed a team-high seven rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench. Junior Kyle Kanaskie led the Bulldogs in assists (4) and steals (3), as Truman fortunately forced 18 Mulerider turnovers to counter a 44-27 rebounding advantage for SAU. The Bulldogs finished with 26 points off turnovers.
 
The Bulldogs topped the 50-percent shooting mark on the day by making 31-of-61 (50.8%) of its attempts from the floor, which included a 10-for-24 (41.7%) mark from downtown. Truman did struggle at the line on the day, hitting just 17-of-27 (63.0%) of its free throw chances; however, the team hit six of eight in the final 31 seconds to bring home the victory and a co-tournament title, as host Quincy also went 2-0 against Southern Arkansas and Ohio Valley, Truman's Saturday opponent.
 
Senior Andrew Vander Zwaag was named to the Holiday Classic's all-tournament team after averaging 16.0 points per game and hitting eight three-pointers during the weekend.
 
With a 9-3 record in 2015 in the books, the Bulldogs will take a break for the holidays before returning to action on Sunday, Jan. 3, at 1 p.m. in Pershing Arena against Iowa Wesleyan.
 
Additional Notes:
  • Sunday marked the first all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Muleriders.
  • Vander Zwaag became the first Bulldog to drop five triples in a game this season, marking the fifth time in his career that he's made that many in a single game.
  • Myers (Cole) tied his career-high with eight made field goals in a single game, equaling the mark set in the 2015-16 season-opener against Trevecca Nazarene.
  • The Bulldogs have now won 23 straight when scoring 80 or more points in a single-game (8-0 this year) and have made at least one three-pointer in 347 consecutive games, dating back to Feb. 12, 2003. 
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Players Mentioned

Connor Erickson

#32 Connor Erickson

F
6' 8"
Redshirt Junior
Kyle Kanaskie

#22 Kyle Kanaskie

G
5' 11"
Junior
Cole Myers

#11 Cole Myers

G
6' 3"
Senior
Dwight Sistrunk, Jr.

#45 Dwight Sistrunk, Jr.

G
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Andrew Vander Zwaag

#30 Andrew Vander Zwaag

G
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Connor Erickson

#32 Connor Erickson

6' 8"
Redshirt Junior
F
Kyle Kanaskie

#22 Kyle Kanaskie

5' 11"
Junior
G
Cole Myers

#11 Cole Myers

6' 3"
Senior
G
Dwight Sistrunk, Jr.

#45 Dwight Sistrunk, Jr.

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
G
Andrew Vander Zwaag

#30 Andrew Vander Zwaag

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
G