Game Links:
McKendree - Live Video ($) | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes (PDF) 
Lewis - Live Video ($) | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes (PDF)
 
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Truman State Bulldogs will begin Great Lakes Valley Conference play this weekend with a split trip at McKendree on Saturday and a home date with Lewis on Monday. 

The women's coaches voted to increase the number of conference games by two this season so both dates will be single-game only affairs.
 
The Bulldogs have won 15 straight over the McKendree Bearcats including all 13 games played since the two teams became member of the GLVC. Last year, the Bulldogs won 79-72 in Kirksville and 82-54 in Lebanon, Illinois. 
 
Lewis was the GLVC coaches pick for the conference title this season after advancing to the tournament title game following a 68-65 win over the Bulldogs in the semifinals last March. Truman won in Romeoville last December after storming back in the fourth quarter for a 71-65 win but the Flyers avenged that loss with an overtime win over the Bulldogs 90-87 in Kirksville in February. The rubber game took place in St. Charles and Lewis was able to hold off the Bulldogs for the three-point win. Ellie Weltha scored 17 points to pace Truman while Kathryn Schmidt and Grace Hilber both scored 16 for Lewis. The Flyers lead the all-time series 11-7. 
 
The Bulldogs have split their first six games of the season and went 1-1 at the Drury Thanksgiving Classic on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, Truman dropped an 85-73 decision to future GLVC member Lincoln (Mo.) University. A six-minute scoring drought in the first half enabled the Blue Tigers to go on a 16-0 run that Truman would not recover from. The Bulldogs got as close as eight in the fourth quarter but the Blue Tigers hit their free throws at the end of the game to break a 25-game losing streak to the Bulldogs. Molly Joyce led the Bulldogs in scoring with 18 points.
 
The squad was able to rebound the next day against Davenport (Mich.) with an 82-74 victory. The Panthers led by 12 early but this time the Bulldogs battled back. Ainsley Tolson gave Truman the lead in the third quarter and finished with 18 points while Weltha led all scorers with 25 points and 11 rebounds. 
 
Weltha leads the team in scoring and rebounding through six games at 19.2 points and 9.2 rebounds. She has scored in double-figures in each of the six games with a high of 25 in the last game against Davenport. She is shooting 59% from the field and has added six blocked shots. 
 
Claire Rake is the leading three-point shooter with 14 makes out of 42 attempts for a 33.3% shooting percentage from distance. She is also the leader in minutes played thus far with 172.
 
Ainsley Tolson is the team's assists leader with 27 dimes so far for a 5.5 per game average. She is also the leader in free throws attempted with 33 having made 29 of them. She has cleared 500  career free throws made following her stops at William Jewell, Baker and Avila. Tolson has the most points of any active player on the roster with 1,486 in 111 career collegiate games played.
 
Bailey Kliewer is one game ahead of Tolson for most experience on the floor with 112 games played. She played her first four years at Rogers (Okla.) State where she amassed over 1,000 points. She sits at 1,118 career points with an 8.8 per game mark in her first six games as a Bulldog.
 
Emma Bulman has completed the starting lineup with the previously mention four players and has averaged 3.9 points per game during her Truman State career. Her career high in points is 14 scored at Illinois Springfield last December.
 
Four other Bulldogs have played in all six games highlighted by freshmen Lexie White and Molly Joyce and joined by Maddie Niemeier and Gracie Neff. White has averaged 5.3 points and Joyce 7.2 points in their first month as Bulldogs. 
 
As a team, Truman is shooting 45% overall and scoring 75.3 points per game while opponents are shooting 40% overall and averaging 71.0 points. The Bulldogs are making 7.3 three-pointers per game, 19.3 free throws per outing, 16.2 assists, 6.3 steals and 3.3 blocks. 
 
Theo Dean is in his fifth season at Truman State and has a 77-36 record. He is currently fourth on the all-time wins list at Truman State. Dean's teams have won 76% of his GLVC games during his tenure with a 58-18 conference record. His squads are 28-10 on the road and 31-8 at home.
 
About The Opponents:
 
McKendree has split their first four games and have not played since November 18 when they defeated Hillsdale (Mich.) 75-66. Their other win came against Ohio Dominican in the opener 68-52 and their two losses came against strong teams in Ferris (Mich.) State 77-51 and Washburn (Kan.) 80-64. Clare Breden leads the team in scoring at 18 points per game and is joined in double figures by Naomi McDaniel at 10.8.  The Bearcats were 9-11 in GLVC play last year and were picked to finish sixth in the conference race by league coaches. 
 
Lewis was the top choice for the GLVC crown this season after going 21-11 and 15-5 in conference play a year ago. They lost in the GLVC Championship game to Drury 71-52 and then in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to the same Lady Panthers 71-60. They are just 1-3 to start the season with a win over Purdue Northwest 75-66 but losses to Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech. They will face Maryville prior to their trip to Kirksville to open GLVC action.  Three players average in double-figures led by Grace Hilber at 17.7 points per game and Kathryn Schmidt at 16 points per outing.
 
Up Next:
The month of December will see Truman take the court just three times and two will be against GLVC newcomer Upper Iowa. The Bulldogs host the Peacocks on December 2^nd then travel to Fayette for a second meeting a week later. The other game during the month occurs during the holiday break period with a exhibition game against Blackburn (Ill.) on December 30.