JOPLIN, Mo.—The Truman Men's Basketball team ran its record to 4-0 with a win over Missouri Southern to close out the Chris Tucker Memorial Classic and downed the hosts 95-89. Cade McKnight led the Bulldogs with 24 points, while four other Bulldogs scored in double figures with Masen Miller and Elijah Hazekamp each scoring 16 while Keaton Mitchell scored ten off the bench and Trey Shearer got his first career points; finishing with 12.
Hazekamp got Truman on the board just six seconds into the game with a three pointer, but from there Missouri Southern got the next five points and the Bulldogs would not get back on the board for three minutes until McKnight hit two foul shots to even it up. The Lions came out hot early and Truman trailed by as many as eight, but an 11-2 run from the Bulldogs got them back in front. Miller capped off the run with a triple with 7:53 to go in the half to go up 20-19. From there, Truman also got the next ten to take an 11 point lead. With 5:55 to go, Shearer got his first career bucket with a triple on the fast break. The Lions would keep it close the rest of the half, but Hazekamp hit a three with three seconds left to make it 39-30 going into half.
Coming out of the halftime break, the Lions made it a two point game with the first seven points. Truman finally got on the board with a layup from Hazekamp with 18:08 to go. Just a few minutes later, Mitchell hit a jumper to make it an 11 point lead with 14:10 left in the half. As the half wore on, Truman would lead by as many as 15 but the Lions would not go quietly. With 1:27 left, Truman held an 86-80 lead, but Shearer hit two foul shots to make it an eight point edge. Two buckets from the Lions made it 88-84, but Hunter Strait came up big with a jumper with 43 seconds and two foul shots to make it eight points again with 33 seconds to go. From there, the Bulldogs were able to seal the win.
McKnight led the team with seven rebounds, Strait led with eight assists, and Eric Northweather had two of the team's three blocked shots while Dylan Peeters collected the other.
The Bulldogs will see a third straight former MIAA rival as they head to Maryville, Mo. on Tuesday to take on preseason #1 and reigning National Champions Northwest Missouri State. Tip off will be at 6:00 p.m.
