KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - The Truman State Women's Basketball team will begin a busy stretch of games with six over the course of a two-week period starting on Wednesday night on the road at Missouri Western State University. Truman will then travel to Upper Iowa on Saturday and the Drury Thanksgiving Classic on November 22-23.

The Bulldogs are 1-1 following an overtime loss to Hillsdale (Mich.) on Saturday and a 67-53 win over Ursuline (Ohio) on Sunday at the GLVC/GMAC Challenge in Hillsdale, Michigan. Hannah Belanger averaged 24.5 points in the two games and moved up ninth on the Bulldog career scoring list with 1,293 points over the weekend. Belanger scored 25 in the overtime loss to the Chargers and followed up that performance with 10-of-17 shooting for 24 points against the Arrows.

In the overtime loss to the Chargers, Truman trailed by eight (80-72) with 3:58 to play but got a three-pointer from Alex Fanning to spark an 8-0 run to tie the game with 48 seconds left. Both teams had possessions at the end of regulation but each missed shots. Hillsdale scored the first 10 points of the overtime period and Truman cut it down to five at 92-87 on seven straight points from Emma Bulman. The Chargers kept Truman at bay with late free throws.

Truman was 13-of-23 (56.5%) at the free throw line while Hillsdale converted on 24-of-28.

It was a strong third quarter by the Bulldogs to overtake Ursuline on Sunday. Truman outscored the Arrows 27-6 after the halftime break to turn around a 34-29 deficit to a 56-40 lead. Truman extended the lead out to as many as 23.

Missouri Western has four games under their belt and are 2-2 on the season including a win over #23 Lubbock Christian 101-96. This past weekend in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Griffons defeated the hosts 67-49 before falling to Augustana (S.D.) 86-77. MWSU was 24-10 last season and 14-8 in the MIAA. The Griffons were picked fourth in the preseason coaches poll by the league, picking up three first place votes.

This will be the third time Truman and Missouri Western have played since the Bulldogs departed the MIAA following the 2012-13 season. Truman has won the two previous non-conference matchups 77-68 in 2017 in St. Joseph and 84-67 in 2018 in Kirksville. 

On Saturday, Truman will journey to Fayette, Iowa and face Upper Iowa University. The Peacocks are 2-0 after the opening weekend with wins over Southern Arkansas 86-74 and Arkansas Monticello 74-59. This will be the third of three GLVC opponents UIU will see this week as they will play Rockhurst on Wednesday, William Jewell on Thursday and Truman on Saturday.

The Peacocks were 7-19 overall last season and 4-16 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. They were slotted 15th overall and eighth in the NSIC South Division.

Truman has won all six over time Peacocks including last season's 77-51 win in Pershing Arena. Hannah Belanger scored 24 points with Katey Klucking and Maddie Re adding 11 and 10 each. Mia Huberty led UIU with 15 points. The Bulldogs led 20-13 after one but outscored the Peacocks 20-4 in the second quarter.

Truman Tidbits:

After the first weekend of play the Bulldogs were first in the GLVC statistics in rebounds (46.5), rebounding margin (12.5), blocks (4.0) and assists (21.5).

Hannah Belanger is seven points shy of 1,300 for her career. She climbed past teammate Katie Jaseckas for ninth on the career scoring charts over the weekend (1,274 points). Eighth place is Allie Norton at 1,342 points.

Belanger's 16.2 points per game scoring mark is currently the third best in school history and she is also ranked fourth in three-pointers made with 203 and fourth in three-pointers attempted with 537.

Ellie Weltha has 24 double-doubles and 31 games over her career with 10 rebounds or more. She went over 600 career boards this weekend (601) and is 27 shy of Maddie Re to enter the Bulldog career top 10. 

Alex Fanning is a transfer from Benedictine (Ill.) and has scored 1,044 points with 897 career rebounds and 243 career blocks. Fanning has 44 career double-doubles with 55 double-digit scoring games and 56 games of 10 or more rebounds.

The Bulldogs were picked second in the GLVC preseason coaches poll after going 18-11 last season with a 13-6 league mark.

Head Coach Theo Dean is sixth on the all-time coaching wins list at Truman in his fourth season and is 13-12 in non-conference matchups.