GAMES 14 & 15: TRUMAN AT MISSOURI S&T | TRUMAN AT ROCKHURST |
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Truman Bulldogs
2017-18 Record: 8-5, 3-1 GLVC
Coach: Chris Foster, Fourth season
Roster | Schedule | Statistics |
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Missouri S&T Miners
2017-18 Record: 2-10, 0-4 GLVC
Coach: Jim Glash, Ninth season
Roster | Schedule | Statistics
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Rockhurst Hawks
2017-18 Record: 8-6, 2-3 GLVC
Coach: Drew Diener, Third season
Roster | Schedule | Statistics |
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Game Information
When?
January 11, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
January 13, 2018 | 3:00 p.m.
Where?
Rolla, Mo. | Gale Bullman Multipurpose Building
Kansas City, Mo. | Mason Halpin Field House
Follow Along
Missouri S&T: Watch | Listen | Track
Rockhurst: Watch | Listen | Track
Twitter
Truman Athletics | #BewareOfDog
Truman Men's Basketball |
Truman Game Notes (.PDF)
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - The Truman State University basketball team has won three games in a row for the first time since it opened the season with a three-game winning streak and it seems to be gathering some momentum. Those three victories have put the Bulldogs three over .500 overall at 8-5 and two above the even mark in GLVC play at 3-1. The Purple and White will now go on the road for some league contests with Missouri S&T (second time against Miners in eight days) and Rockhurst.
Truman continues to boast five players averaging at least 10 points per game including Mr. Double-Double,
Zach Fischer (17.8),
Jake Velky (16.0),
Brodric Thomas (14.0),
Jack Green (11.8), and
Nathan Messer (11.4). Fischer is sixth in the conference in points per game, first in boards per contest and is the league's only player averaging a double-double so far this season. The redshirt senior is up to nine double-doubles for the year, the most for a Bulldog since
Ethan Freeman's 11 in 2010-11.
Missouri S&T continues to skid with four-straight losses and defeats in nine of its last 10 outings. Meanwhile, Rockhurst was 8-4 overall and 2-1 in the GLVC before a couple of close home league losses this past week against the likes of William Jewell (72-76) and Indianapolis (69-76).
Scouting Rockhurst
Rockhurst is in year No. three under head coach, Drew Diener, who owns an overall record of 34-34 during that span. In 2016-17, Diener guided the Hawks to their first winning season in seven seasons proceeded by the program's first conference tournament appearance in six years in 2015-16. This year, four Rockhurst players are scoring in double-figures per game including Curtis Lewis (13.3), Auston Rushing (12.6), Quinton Curry (12.5), and Eddie Muench (10.7). Alex Hagan is right outside those four with 9.6 points per contest and leads the Hawks in rebounding with 8.5 per outing. Assist wise, Rockhurst turns to Lewis who is on top of the team with 4.3 per game.
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Fischer the Forward
As mentioned above,
Zach Fischer is the league's only standout averaging a double-double with 17.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Fischer is also second in the GLVC in field goal percentage (.698) and his nine double-doubles are the fifth-most in the country. Also among the nation's leaders, the redshirt-senior forward is sixth in field goal percentage, 11th in boards per game and 12th in defensive boards per contest with 7.92.
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Scoring Outburst
In its last three games, Truman's offense has exploded for point totals of 107 vs. Iowa Wesleyan, 101 vs. Missouri S&T and 92 in the program's first-ever win vs. Lewis (0-5 prior to this year). Those three numbers are the top three point totals for the Bulldogs this season. The first two of those three wins mark the first time the Purple and White had reached the century mark in back-to-back games since the 1990-91 season when it was done twice. Not only has Truman been scoring at prolific rate, but it has been doing so incredibly efficiently. During this three-game stretch, the Bulldogs are shooting 55.4 percent from the field, 47.5 percent from deep and 80.4 percent at the free throw line.
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Deja Vu
As mentioned above, Truman will face Missouri S&T for the second time in eight days after hosting the Miners last Thursday and winning by 35 points, 101-66. The Bulldogs will look to take all the momentum right away from a Miners' team that has dropped four in a row and nine of its last 10.
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Rugged Days Ahead
These two contests are part of a stretch in which Truman will have to play five games in 10 days. The Bulldogs have been here before as they had to play five games in eight days to open the season. The Purple and White went 3-2 during that stretch so we'll see how they fare this time around. Not only that, but eight of Truman's next 10 games will be away from Pershing Arena. We'll know a lot more about this team after the next few weeks come and go.
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Up Next
Truman will host Drury (10-2, 3-1 GLVC) on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 15th before trips to Indianpolis (9-4, 3-2 GLVC) on Thursday, Jan. 18 and Southern Indiana (12-4, 3-1 GLVC) on Saturday, Jan. 20.
#BewareOfDog
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