Game Links:
Upper Iowa - Live Video ($) | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes (PDF) 
 
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Round Two. Hoping to pick themselves off the canvass after a knockdown punch from Upper Iowa last Saturday, the Truman State Women's Basketball team will look to even the score in the rematch on Saturday in Fayette, Iowa.
 
A 21-7 run over the final 6:52 of the fourth quarter erased a 16-point Truman State lead and eventually led to an 88-86 overtime loss to the Peacocks last Saturday in Pershing Arena. The Bulldogs led by three at half and used the third quarter to build upon that margin and led by 11 following a buzzer sounding three-pointer from Lexie White at the end of the quarter. Molly Joyce scored nine points in the first five minutes of the final quarter and the Bulldogs led 76-63 with 4:58 showing. 
 
The Peacocks connected on three-pointers from Ava Privet, Mia Huberty and Katie Tornstrom to quickly make it a six-point game. Huberty scored again and then free throws by Tornstrom and Privet allowed Upper Iowa to score the final nine points in regulation and send the game into overtime.
 
It was the second straight overtime game between the two schools. Ellie Weltha scored the first three points of the extra period but free throws and a Tornstrom three with 2:14 left pushed Upper Iowa back in front at 85-81. Ainsley Tolson attempted to put the Bulldogs on her back and converted on a three-point play at the 1:24 mark to close the gap to one at 87-86. Tornstrom made only one of two free throws to set up a potential tie or winning final possession for Truman and after a clean look by Weltha missed, the Bulldogs could not get off another shot. It was Upper Iowa's first program win in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and first win against the Bulldogs in eight previous meetings.
 
Tornstrom led all players in scoring with 21 points and added 10 rebounds, six assists and a blocked shot in 40 minutes of work. She was joined in double-figures by Kayla Bohr (15), Huberty (14) and Amelia Valentino (12). 
 
The Bulldogs also had four players in double-figures led by Weltha's 19 points, Tolson's 18 and 15 by Claire Rake and 11 from Bailey Kliewer. Truman was 19-of-22 at the free throw line (86%) but Upper Iowa had five more made three pointers (14-9) and the teams combine for 47 turnovers. Between the two teams, 69 of the 137 total shots (50%) put up were from beyond the arc.  
Ellie Weltha leads the GLVC in scoring (19.2/g) and rebounding (9.4/g) and is first in field goal shooting percentage (58%). She is in the top 20 in Division II in both categories, checking in at 12^th in rebounds and 16^th in scoring. Her four double-doubles leads the GLVC and is also 10^th in Division II. She moved into the top eight in Truman State scoring with 1,364 points and is closing in on 1,000 career rebounds with 941. Only two other players have achieved that feat in the purple and white Felicia Sutton (1,232) and Carol Jarrard (1,084). 
 
Weltha is just one of three members of the starting lineup that have over 1,000 career points on their resume. Graduate transfer Ainsley Tolson climbed over the 1,500 point total for her career on Saturday and sits with 1,514 points. She is now 17 assists away from 400. Tolson has averaged 10.5 points in her first season as a Bulldog. Bailey Kliewer, a second graduate transfer, has 1,152 career points in 115 games played and is fourth on the team this season in scoring at 9.7 points per outing. 
 
Emma Bulman and Claire Rake have rounded out the starting line-up. Bulman scored a career-high 18 points earlier this season against McKendree. Rake leads the team in three-pointers made with 21 and is averaging 9.8 points per night. 
 
Off the bench, Gracie Neff, Madison Niemeier, Lexie White and Molly Joyce have all appeared each game this season. Neff has started the past two games for Tolson and is third on the team in assists with 19. Niemeier has averaged over four points in 14.5 minutes per game. White and Joyce are making impacts as true freshman this season. White averages 4.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and leads the team with 12 steals. Joyce is scoring at a 6.7 points per game clip and has made 22-of-26 from the free throw line. 
 
As a team, Truman is shooting 44% overall and scoring 75.2 points per game while opponents are shooting 41% overall and averaging 73.6 points. The Bulldogs are making 7.1 three-pointers per game, 17.7 free throws per outing, shooting 79% from the line, 15.9 assists, 7.1 steals and 2.6 blocks. 
 
Theo Dean is in his fifth season at Truman State and has a 77-40 record. He is currently fourth on the all-time wins list at Truman State. Dean's teams have won 74% of his GLVC games during his tenure with a 58-21 conference record. His squads are 31-10 in GLVC home games and 28-11 in conference road games. 
 
About The Opponent:
 
After a 26-year relationship with the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, Upper Iowa officially joined the Great Lakes Valley Conference this past July 1^st. The Peacocks were 10-18 overall last year and 6-16 in the NSIC. They are 3-3 overall thus far in 2023-24 and 1-2 in GLVC play.
 
Upper Iowa is seventh in Division II and first in the GLVC in three-pointers made per game at 9.5. Katie Tornstrom leads the team in scoring at 17.1 points per night and has made 18 three-pointers. Mia Huberty is next at 15.6 points with 11 triples and Brooke Evenson is third at 10.7 points and nine threes. 
 
Upper Iowa has scored on average 72.0 points per game and give up 68.5 points. They shoot 42% from the field, 35% from three and 64% from the free throw line with 9.8 made per game. 
 
Up Next:
The Bulldogs will be idle from competition for the next 20 days and will play an exhibition game against Blackburn (Ill.) College on December 30. The resumption of the regular season will be on January 3^rd when the team hosts the University of Indianapolis.