PREVIEW: Women's Basketball Tips Off Season At GLVC/GMAC/GLIAC Challenge

Game Notes (PDF) | Live Video | Live Stats

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The start of a new era of Truman Women's Basketball will begin on Saturday when the Bulldogs participate in the GLVC/GMAC/GLIAC Challenge hosted by Quincy University.

Truman, under new head coach Theo Dean, will open the season against the University of Wisconsin Parkside at 1 p.m. on Saturday followed by a game against Ursuline College (Ohio) at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Dean was elevated to the top spot following the departure of Amy Eagan after six seasons, three of which were 20-win campaigns. The Bulldogs won a school record 23 games last year and advanced to their second NCAA Division II regional in five years. Dean was the assistant coach for the past three years and has been a part of the program in some capacity for nearly nine seasons.

The Bulldogs tested themselves against a pair of Division I opponents during the preseason. Truman lost to the state's flagship school, the University of Missouri 95-55 back on October 24 and then battled before falling 87-60 to Illinois State University on Tuesday night.

In the Mizzou game, freshman Hannah Belanger led the team with 15 points in her Truman debut. Senior Sloane Totta added 14 and sophomore Maddie Re scored eight with 12 rebounds.

Against Illinois State, Tiffany Davenport and Katey Klucking were the double-digit scorers for Truman with Davenport dropping in 14 and Klucking 12. Re added 10 more rebounds with five points.

Overall between the two exhibition games, Truman shot 31% from the field and was 16-of-50 from outside the arc.

Totta is a returning first-team all-GLVC guard for the Bulldogs. She averaged 11.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists last season and has played and started in all 85 games in her Truman career.

Re was named to the all-Freshman team a year ago and had a team-high six double-doubles.

Scouting the Opponents:

The UW-Parkside Rangers were 12-15 last season and were picked fourth in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference North Division coaches poll after going 10-10 in league games.

Senior Carolina Rahkonen was a preseason All-GLIAC selection after finishing the year averaging 12 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in her junior season.

The two teams last met in Kirksville in February 2018 with the Bulldogs winning 71-40.

Ursuline will play host Quincy on Saturday before taking on the Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon. The Arrows were 8-20 a year ago with a 7-15 record in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. They were selected 10^th out of 13 teams in the G-MAC preseason coaches' poll.

Senior Julia Cardwell is the returning leading scorer at 14.6 points per game. She scored 20 points or more in seven games with a high of 25 coming against Mercyhurst (Pa.).

This will be the first meeting between Truman and Ursuline.

Up Next:
The Bulldogs will open their home schedule on Saturday, November 16 at 11 a.m. against Augustana (S.D.) and then host Avila (Mo.) on Friday, November 22 at 5:30 p.m.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#24 Tiffany Davenport: G; 5' 6"; Sophomore

#23 Maddie Re: F; 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman

#04 Sloane Totta: G; 5' 9"; Junior

#33 Katey Klucking: G; 5' 9"; Freshman

#13 Hannah Belanger: G; 5' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#24 Tiffany Davenport
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: G

#23 Maddie Re
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman
: F

#04 Sloane Totta
: 5' 9"; Junior
: G

#33 Katey Klucking
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: G

#13 Hannah Belanger
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: G