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KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Truman Women's Basketball team returns home to Pershing Arena for a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference games this week. The Bulldogs will host Southwest Baptist (Mo.) and Drury (Mo.) University on the regular Thursday/Saturday schedule.
 
The Bulldogs hope the home confines will sparks some victories as the team has been mired in a eight-game slump and haven't won in a regular season game since November 22^nd in a 82-74 non-conference victory over Davenport (Mich.).
 
The latest two setbacks occurred on the road with a three-point loss to Quincy last Thursday and a 75-56 defeat at the hands of Illinois Springfield on Saturday. Ellie Weltha averaged a double-double last week 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two games. She scored 24 points with 11 rebounds, notching her 40^th career double-double in the game against Quincy. Freshman Molly Joyce was second in scoring at 11.5 points per game with 12 points and nine rebounds against the Hawks and 11 points against Illinois Springfield, all off the bench.
 
Southwest Baptist is 8-7 overall and 4-5 in conference play following a split of home games last weekend. The Bearcats defeated Missouri S&T 81-74 last Thursday but were dropped on Saturday by Maryville 79-58.  The Bearcats are fifth in the GLVC in scoring offense and third in scoring defense. They have nine players that average between six and nine points per game led by Kallyn Stumbo at 9.0.
 
The two teams split last year's games with each defending their home court. In Bolivar, SBU won 72-59 while back in Kirksivlle, the Bulldogs won 70-64. Weltha led Truman in the second game with 20 points and 10 rebounds, going over 1,000 points for her career during that game.
 
Drury has been one of the elite national programs for the last several years and are in some transition following the departure of former Bulldog and Drury head coach Amy Eagan after last season. Kaci Bailey moved from Quincy to Drury during the offseason and the Lady Panthers still find themselves leading the GLVC in scoring average at 77.5 points per game. However, Drury has dropped out of the WBCA Top 25 and are 11-4 overall, 6-3 in conference action before a trip to Upper Iowa on Thursday. Reese Schaaf was the GLVC Player of the Week and is second on the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game, Beth Matas Martin is first at 15.5 points per game and came with Coach Bailey from Quincy.
 
In their last visit to Pershing Arena, the Bulldogs cracked the code and picked up their first win over the Lady Panthers 67-66 behind two late free throws from Ellie Weltha. Last year in Springfield, Drury won 80-63.
 
About The Bulldogs: 
Ellie Weltha remains second in the GLVC in scoring at 17.4 points per game. She had been in double figures in the first 13 games this season which was snapped on Saturday when she scored just nine at Illinois Springfield. She has her sights set to become the first Bulldog since 1991 to achieve 1000 career rebounds. Weltha is only 14 shy of the milestone and will become only the third Truman State player to reach 1,000 rebounds in a career. The other two are Felicia Sutton (1987-91) and Carol Jarrard (1978-82). Weltha has lettered in three sports while at Truman playing for the softball team in both 2021 and 2022 and was the GLVC champion in the outdoor Discus throw and silver medalist in the Shot Put. Weltha finished ninth in the Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships last May in the Shot.
 
Claire Rake is second in scoring at 9.6 points per outing and leads the team with 32 three-pointers made in 99 attempts. Rake has started all 14 games, scoring in double-figures six times with a high of 17 points coming against Winona State. In 74 career games, Rake has knocked down 109 three-pointers.
 
Ainsley Tolson averages 8.8 points and is second in assists with 43 in her first season with the Bulldogs. Tolson has played 119 games for three other schools during her college career and amassed 1,545 points, and 390 assists. She has scored in double-figures in six games as a Bulldogs with a high of 18 points in two games. Tolson has started 10 of the 14 games thus far.
 
Bailey Kliewer is the active leader in games played with 120 in five seasons. The past four have been at Rogers (Okla.) State where she earned all-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association honors. Kliewer has 1,180 career points and is averaging 8.2 points this season as a Bulldog. In starting 12 of 14 games, Kliewer has been in double digits six times, with one double-double and a single-game best 17 against McKendree.
 
Emma Bulman has started 11 of 14 games this season and averages 6.6 points. Bulman's single-game high this season is 18 points coming against McKendree.
 
Gracie Neff has taken over the team lead in assists with 44 this year and recorded a season-high with seven against Quincy last Thursday. She has started the past seven games and is averaging 2.6 points per.
 
Madison Niemeier started both games last week, her first two starts of the season after coming off the bench in each of the previous 12 games. She has been in double-figures in two of her last three and scored a season-high 11 against Illinois Springfield on Saturday.
 
Molly Joyce is the only freshman to appear in all 14 games and is averaging 16.8 minutes while scoring 7.4 points per game. Joyce has been in double-figures in five games and three of the last four. Her season high is 18 coming against Lincoln on November 21^st.
 
As a team, Truman is shooting 42% overall and scoring 70.4 points per game while opponents are shooting 41% overall and averaging 74.1 points. The Bulldogs are making 6.2 three-pointers per game, 16 free throws per outing, shooting 76% from the line, 15.1 assists, 6.9 steals and 2.2 blocks. In the eight GLVC games, the Bulldogs are shooting 39% overall, 23% from distance and 73% at the line.  
 
Theo Dean is in his fifth season at Truman State and has a 78-45 record. He is currently fourth on the all-time wins list at Truman State. Dean's teams have nearly won 70% of his GLVC games during his tenure with a 58-26 conference record. His squads are 31-11 in GLVC home games and 28-15 in conference road games.
 
Up Next:
The Bulldogs head back out on the road for the Kansas City swing of the GLVC schedule. Truman State will be at Rockhurst on Thursday and William Jewell next Saturday before returning home for six of nine at home during the month of February.