WEEK 15: TRUMAN AT WILLIAM JEWELL, AT ROCKHURST
	Truman Bulldogs 2018-19 Record: 12-11, 7-6 GLVC Coach: Jeff Horner, First season Roster | Schedule | Statistics
	William Jewell Cardinals 2018-19 Record: 10-15, 4-9 GLVC Coach: Larry Holley, 40th season Roster | Schedule | Statistics
	Rockhurst Hawks 2018-19 Record: 13-10, 7-6 GLVC Coach: Drew Diener, Fourth season Roster | Schedule | Statistics
	Game Information When? February 14, 2019 | 7:30 p.m. February 16, 2019 | 3:00 p.m. Where? Liberty, Mo. | Mabee Center Kansas City, Mo. | Mason-Halpin Field House Follow Along William Jewell: GLVCSN | 104.7 KRES (Brad & Hank) | Live Stats Rockhurst: GLVCSN | 104.7 KRES (Brad & Hank) | Live Stats Twitter Truman Athletics | #BewareOfDog | Truman Men's Basketball GLVC Men's Basketball Standings | Statistics | News

Truman Game Notes (PDF)

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - Five games are left in the regular season for the Truman State University men's basketball team. The first time around against those five opponents, the Bulldogs won four of five with the loss being by just four points at Indianapolis, 83-79. The first three of those five remaining contests will be on the road and the Purple and White are just 4-7 in games played away from Pershing Arena as opposed to an 8-4 record at home.

Coming off a bye last Thursday, Truman looked well rested and prepared for rival Quincy the following Saturday inside Pershing. The Bulldogs steamrolled  the Hawks by 28, 85-57, for their most lopsided victory over the rival since 1956 (77-42). That 28-point thrashing is the fourth-largest margin of victory for Truman in the all-time series, which is now tied at 61-61.

In that blackout win, Brodric Thomas nearly recorded a double-double with 20 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, two blocks, one steal, and just two turnovers in 33 minutes on the court. Taurin Hughes and Cade McKnight also scored in double-figures with 16 (11 in the second half) and 15 (all in second half), respectively.

Scouting William Jewell
It was announced on Feb. 5 that 2018-19 will be the final season for William Jewell's 40th-year head coach, Larry Holley. In that 40th season at the helm of Cardinals' basketball, William Jewell is 10-15 overall and 4-9 in GLVC play. Just like the Bulldogs, much of the Cardinals' success has come at home where they've picked up eight of their 10 overall wins. William Jewell has a home mark of 8-5 compared to a 2-10 record away from the Mabee Center.
 
As always seems to be the case, William Jewell can score it, but not defend as well on the other end. This season is as good a proof as ever of that as the Cardinals are first in the league in scoring offense with 88 points per game, but last in scoring defense with 86.6 points allowed per outing. William Jewell boasts three of the conference's top 20 scorers including Keith Hayes in first (21.0), Byron Harp in seventh (17.2) and Eysan Wiley in a tie for 19th (13.5). Pharroh Gordon has returned from injury to also average double-figures with 14.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Wiley is the team's top rebounder at 7.7 per game (best in GLVC) while Harp is on top of the assist category with 3.7 per effort.

Scouting Rockhurst
With five games left on the conference slate, Rockhurst has already won as many league games, seven, as it did a season ago. When looking at the GLVC Point Rating System entering this week, Truman is in seventh place (3.19), but Rockhurst is breathing down the Bulldogs' neck in eighth place (3.12). The top eight teams will qualify for the league tournament in early March.
 
Like we've seen with both Truman and William Jewell, Rockhurst is a much better team at home. Nine of the Hawks' 13 wins have come inside their Mason-Halpin Field House where they're 9-3 as opposed to 4-7 away from home just like the Bulldogs. Individually, three Hawks are averaging right around 13 points per game including Chris Hamil (13.8), Turner Scott's high school teammate, Quinton Curry (13.6), and Curtis Lewis (13.6). Curry is the team's top rebounder with 6.3 per game (seventh in GLVC) and Lewis is on top of the assist leaderboard with 3.7 per contest.

Last Time Out - William Jewell
Truman trailed by two, 72-70, with the ball and the length of the court to go in 6.3 seconds. Cade McKnight inbounded the ball to Taurin Hughes just past the free throw line extended who turned and took off down the left side of the floor. Hughes came back towards the middle of the court, launched a three-pointer from just to the left of the top of the key with 3.5 ticks left and drained it. The Cardinals turned over the ensuing inbounds and the Bulldogs had held on for the dramatic victory. Turner Scott turned in his career high of 29 points, McKnight had 12 and Hughes finished with 10.
 
Last Time Out - Rockhurst
Head coach, Jeff Horner's, first win inside Pershing Arena was a nail biter just like the William Jewell victory two days later. The Bulldogs led the Hawks by four, 29-25, at the break. The eighth and final tie came at the 1:21 mark, 60-60, before Brodric Thomas (jumper) and Scott (two free throws) put the game on ice for the Purple and White. McKnight had another big game with 24 points while Thomas and Scott racked up 14 and 12 points, respectively.
 
Agent Zero
After just about two seasons at William Jewell, Keith Hayes is only 18 points away from reaching the 1,000-point mark for his career (19.6 career scoring average). Hayes scored 498 as a junior and is up to 484 for this season. Hayes' 21 points per game are first in the GLVC and 35th in all of Division II. Nationally, Hayes is also 25th in total points (484), 26th in total field goal attempts (357), 28th in total field goals made (172), 39th in free throw percentage (88.1), and 48th in total three-pointers made (66).
 
Just Fling It
William Jewell puts up shots and does it in bunches. In the GLVC, the Cardinals are first in total field goal attempts (1,668), first in total field goals made (758), first in three-pointers made (289), first in three-pointers attempted (763), first in scoring offense (88.0), first in total points scored (2,201), and fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.379). William Jewell has put up over 200 more shots than the next-closest team and over 100 more three-pointers than the second-place squad.
 
We're Going Streaking
Rockhurst is currently on a three-game winning streak, its third streak of at least three wins already this season. The Hawks won three in a row from Dec. 1-15, four straight from Jan. 3-12, and now back-to-back-to-back from Feb. 2-9. This current three-game winning streak snapped a season-worst five-game losing streak that started on Jan. 17 and came to an end on Jan. 31. Eight of those 10 wins in the winning streaks came at home for Rockhurst.
 
Movin' Up the Chart
With two more three-pointers made on Saturday vs. Quincy, Nathan Messer has reached 187 for his career. That second made triple moved Messer past Andy Guethle (1996-00) into ninth on the all-time list. The junior sharp shooter has played just 79 games to reach that mark, the second-fewest on the top-10 list to Boyd Printy's 77 games in 1989-92. Printy is seventh on the current list with 201 career made triples.
 
Up Next
Up next, Truman will head to Quincy for the final road game of the regular season. The Bulldogs will have an off day on Thursday, Feb. 21 before facing the Hawks that Saturday with tip set for 3 p.m.

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