LOUISVILLE, Ky.—With a five game winning streak on the line and potentially the top seed in the GLVC ratings to lose, the Truman men's basketball team had very high stakes as they went to Bellarmine for the final time as members of the GLVC. The Bulldogs had a 34-21 lead at half but the Knights would not go down easy as they scored 39 points in the second half but in the end Turner Scott lifted the Bulldogs at the buzzer to escape with the win 61-60.
Cade McKnight had his first double-double of the season (and first of his career) with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Scott and Brodric Thomas tied for the team lead with 18 points and Scott dished out five assists. Despite shooting just 7-26 from three point range and 19-52 overall, the Bulldogs held and advantage from the foul line with 16 points to just six for the Knights.
Truman jumped out to a very quick lead. A dunk from Thomas, a three from McKnight and a three from Thomas gave the Bulldogs an 8-0 just 2:28 into the contest. Bellarmine responded with a 10-0 run to take their first lead. Down 14-13, Truman went on an 8-0 run—starting with a three point play from McKnight and then five from Thomas to go up 21-14. Truman held the lead for the rest of the half, though Bellarmine drew within three at 24-21. The Bulldogs closed the half on a 10-0 run, with Scott and McKnight each with four points, to take a 13 point lead into the locker room.
Early in the second half, it looked like Truman was going to run away with this game. A layup from Alex McQuinn gave the Bulldogs a 40-23 lead—their largest of the game. Bellarmine slowly chipped away. With 12:35 to go, the Knights cut the Truman lead to single digits at 44-36. The drama was just beginning.
Bellarmine cut the Truman lead to five with another three pointer just ten seconds later, but Truman rallied to push the lead back to ten at 51-41 as Thomas hit from downtown with 10:35 to go. The Bulldogs went cold after that shot, not scoring again until Scott made a jumper with 3:46 left to lift Truman to a three point edge at 53-50. Bellarmine tied it with a three pointer at 3:28, which Scott took back with three free throws. After two free throws from Bellarmine cut the Truman lead to one, McKnight took them back. Bellarmine tied it with a three at 1:01 to go, then took the lead with four seconds left.
On the in bound, Scott took the ball up the left side of the court and weaved his way through the defense and after a fake put up a three from 35 feet out that gave Truman the dramatic win.
The Bulldogs will lead to Indianapolis to take on the Greyhounds Saturday to move to seven straight wins and pick up win number 14 in conference play.
