Truman Game Notes (.PDF)
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - The Truman State University men's basketball team enters Thursday's meeting with McKendree on its first four-game losing streak of the
Chris Foster era. The last time the Bulldogs dropped four contests in a row was back in February of 2013. The Purple and White will look to improve to 5-0 all time against McKendree before taking a nine-day break and competing in Quincy's Sunway Holiday Classic on Dec. 16-17 vs. Ohio Valley and Missouri Southern State, respectively. Both of those games are set to tip at 1 p.m. from the Land of Lincoln.
With transfer,
Brodric Thomas, back in action after an early-season injury, Truman has five scorers averaging at least 10 points/game including
Jake Velky (18.4),
Zach Fischer (17.3), Thomas (13.5),
Taurin Hughes (11.7), and
Jack Green (11.4). Fischer continues to average a double-double with his 10.7 rebounds/contest while Velky is the squad's leader in assists/game with 3.6. Amongst the best in the GLVC, Fischer is first in field goal percentage (.692), third in rebounds/game, and tied for seventh in points/game. Meanwhile, Velky is fifth in scoring, sixth in free throw percentage (.897), seventh in three pointers made/game (2.9), tied for eighth in assists/game, tied for 12th in three-point field goal percentage (.426), and 18th in field goal percentage (.451).
Legendary Status
Coaching legend, Harry Statham, the all-time wins leader in college basketball history at the four-year level, is in his 52nd season as the head coach of the McKendree University men's basketball program. Statham has compiled a record of 1,115-498 or a winning percentage of .691. Statham led the Bearcats to 12 American Midwest Conference championships and 15 appearances in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship before the transition to Division II membership. 2017-18 marks McKendree's sixth season as a member of the GLVC.
Shooting "Blanks"
McKendree's senior guard, Justin Blanks, has had plenty of ammo so far this season. Blanks is second in the GLVC in points per game (20.8), fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.500), tied for fourth in three pointers made per game (3.0), and eighth in field goal percentage (.571). The Akron, Ohio native scored 16 points in the season opener, but has reached 20+ in the last five games including a season-high 25 at Trevecca Nazarene on Nov. 22 when he played 40 minutes. Not only has Blanks been scoring at a prolific rate, but he has been doing so incredibly efficiently. We mentioned that 57.1 field goal percentage and the 6-4 guard shot 69.2 percent from the floor in the team's most recent game with nine makes in 13 attempts.
Scintillating Sophomore
The Bearcats' sophomore forward, Nolan Gerling, was named GLVC Men's Basketball Player of the Week on Monday after his performance in McKendree's 100-91 win at Drury. Gerling scored 20 of his game- and season-high 32 points in the second half against the Panthers in a GLVC-opening win, just one point shy of his career-high. He helped McKendree overcome a 17-point deficit with just over 17 minutes remaining and shot 14-of-17 (.820) in 34 minutes of action, including 8-for-9 (.888) in the final 20 minutes. The 6-10 center went 4-for-7 (.571) from the foul line and scored all four of those in that final 20-minute span. Gerling added seven rebounds in McKendree's first-ever win against Drury since joining the GLVC in 2012-13 and it also marked the first time the Bearcats had won a GLVC opener as league members.
Total Package
Not only can McKendree score it with the third-best scoring offense in the GLVC at 89.7 points per game, but the Bearcats also have the best scoring defense in the league and are giving up just 67.7 points per contest. Offensively, Truman hasn't really had a problem getting on the board with 81 points per game, which is good for fifth in the conference, but the Bulldogs are last in the GLVC in scoring defense at 82.6 points per game. The Purple and White are the only team in the league giving up 80 or more points per game.
Up Next
Next up, Truman won't have a game for nine days until the Quincy University Subway Holiday Classic on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16-17 on the campus of the Hawks. The Bulldogs will face Ohio Valley that Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by Missouri Southern State on Sunday with that tip also set for 1 p.m.
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