Truman Game Notes (PDF)
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - What a third week of the season for the Truman State University men's basketball team. The Bulldogs found the win column for the first time under first-year head coach,
Jeff Horner, with a two-point win at #18 Northern State and a three-point victory the next night against Sioux Falls. In those two breakthrough wins, the Purple and White were led by an emerging
Turner Scott. Scott averaged 16.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 55.6 percent (20-of-36) from the field. The redshirt sophomore was also responsible for the game-winner in both of those games.
Enter week four of the season and GLVC play where games just mean a little more. Truman will come back home for the first time since the first two games of the season, which were early on in the month, to host Rockhurst and William Jewell. The Bulldogs have dominated the recent history with both of those opponents including five-straight wins vs. the Hawks and eight in a row against the Cardinals. These two games will be the only league contests until 2019 for Truman.
Scouting Rockhurst
In year No. 4 under head coach, Drew Diener, Rockhurst won its opener before dropping two in a row. However, the Hawks have since won two-straight games to get one game back above the .500 mark at 3-2. In games that Rockhurst has scored 90 or more points, it is 3-0. That's where the Hawks have been their best, the offensive end. Among GLVC ranks, they're second in field goal percentage (51.3), tied for second in scoring offense (88.7) and fifth in three-point field goal percentage (38.7). On the other end of the floor, Rockhurst is giving up 75.7 points per game, which is 10th out of 14 league teams.
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With the team doing so well offensively early in the season, four different Hawks average at least 10 points per game including Chris Hamil (15.8), Quinton Curry (14.0), Eddie Muench (11.6), and Curtis Lewis (10.4). Connor Evans leads the team in the rebounding department with 6.0 per game.
Scouting William Jewell
Just like Rockhurst, William Jewell is another team that loves to hoist it in bunches. The Cardinals have scored the second-most points in the league with 673 and their 84.1 points per contest are good for fifth in the league. With that being said, they're dead last in field goal percentage (44.2) and 11th in three-point field goal percentage (33.1). Defensively, Jewell is giving up the most points per game of any GLVC team at 87.4, over nine points per game more than the team in 13th.
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In year No. 40 under veteran head coach, Larry Holley, Jewell boasts three scorers averaging double-figures including Keith Hayes (21.1), Byron Harp (18.9) and Eysan Wiley (13.9). Hayes is the ringleader when it comes to putting shots up and his 145 attempts are 43 more than the next-closest Cardinal. Jewell has won just two games with losses in three of its lasts four contests.
Three-Point Threats
As a team, Truman is second in the GLVC in three-point field goal percentage at 40.3 after ranking as high as one in that category early on in the season. Individually,
Taurin Hughes is second in the league in that category (50.0) and
Nathan Messer is seventh (40.5). Hughes is also tied for fourth in triples made per game with 3.0 and Messer is sixth with 2.8.
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Turn(er)ing Heads
Turner Scott is well on his way to a breakout season as he is among the top 15 in the GLVC for several statistical categories. They include eighth in minutes played per game (32.2), 12th in field goal percentage (49.3), 12th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6), tied for 12th in assists per game (3.5), and 14th in points per game (15.0).
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Points on Points
As mentioned above, Truman will have its hands full defensively with a couple of potent offenses coming into Pershing Arena on Thursday and Saturday. Both Rockhurst and William Jewell average at least 84 points per game, but Truman proved this past week what it's capable of on the defensive end. The Bulldogs held No. 18 Northern State to 59 points and Sioux Falls to just 67 the next day.
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Welcome Home
Ever since Truman opened its 2018-19 season with back-to-back home games against Findlay and Cedarville on Nov. 9-10, the Bulldogs have been on the road traveling for nine of the last 11 days with four games in those 11 days. Needless to say, the Purple and White will be more than happy to be playing in Pershing Arena again when Thursday rolls around. Head coach,
Jeff Horner, will be looking for his first win inside the friendly confines.
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Valley Connection
Truman guard,
Turner Scott, and Rockhurst big man, Quinton Curry, played together for three years at West Des Moines Valley High School. When Turner was a sophomore and Curry a freshman, they were runners-up at the state tournament before winning the whole thing two years later. Horner was their head coach for the year that they placed second.
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Senior Sensation
Keith Hayes has proven to be one of the best scorers in all of the GLVC and is a straight up volume shooter. Hayes is first in the league in points per game with 21.1. This comes after the senior was third in the conference in scoring last season with a clip of 18.4. Hayes has attempted more shots than anyone else in the GLVC with 145.
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Up Next
These two games will do it for conference play in 2018. Next up, Truman will play five games outside of the GLVC including Missouri Southern on Dec. 4, Central Christian on Dec. 7, Indiana State for an exhibiton on Dec. 8, Grand Valley State on Dec. 18, and Graceland on Dec. 29.
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