QUINCY, Ill.—The Truman Men's Basketball team won its season opener on Friday night at the GLVC/G-MAC Challenge with an 87-80 win over Cedarville. Elijah Hazekamp set a career high with 23 points to lead the Bulldogs, while Masen Miller added 21 and tied his career high with seven made three pointers. At the intermission, Truman led 51-34 behind 19-32 shooting from the floor and 10-13 made three pointers.
Early on Cedarville made a couple three pointers to take a 6-5 lead, but from there Truman went on a 12-5 run to go up six at 17-11. Dylan Peeters made a layup to give Truman their first lead of the game at 7-6 and from there Miller made a three and Hunter Strait capped off the run with a three. In the middle of the half, Truman held Cedarville scoreless for nearly a four minute stretch and at the 10:13 mark Hazekamp drained a three to put Truman up double digits at 27-15. During the half CU would get no closer than nine as the Bulldogs continued to expand their lead and a three by Miller with one minute left put Truman up 17; which was the margin heading into the break.
To begin the second half, Truman maintained their double digit lead; right as CU had cut the Truman lead to ten Miller drained another three pointer to take momentum back. Cade McKnight followed with a jumper in the paint to push the lead back to 15. Every time CU would push, Truman would answer. With 6:39 left in the game, CU finally came within nine after a three pointer. Keaton Mitchell made a layup to push the lead back to 11 temporarily but another three with 6:02 left made for a tense finish.
With 4:04 left, CU was as close as they had been since the first half as Truman's lead was just four at 74-70. But Miller hit another three with 3:32 to go, which was answered by CU and then Hazekamp came right back with another trey. With 1:37 to go it was 80-77 Bulldogs, but McKnight hit one of two free throws while Peeters hit two to go back up six with 50 seconds left. CU made another three to pull within three once more with 23 seconds left, but from there McKnight and Hazekamp each hit two free throws to seal the game.
Five Bulldogs scored in double figures as Hazekamp had 23, Miller 21, McKnight 17, Strait 10 and Peeters 10. McKnight led with nine rebounds while Strait led with eight assists. Eric Northweather also played a role off the bench with the team's lone blocked shot and four rebounds.
Truman will be back on the court tomorrow afternoon as they take on Findlay at 4:00 pm in Quincy for the second half of the GLVC/G-MAC Challenge.
