Kansas City—Truman State men's basketball dropped its GLVC opener on the road Saturday afternoon, falling 95–79 to a sharp-shooting Rockhurst squad. The Bulldogs shot a strong 54.2% from the field but were unable to keep pace with the Hawks' efficiency and second-chance production.

Rockhurst opened the afternoon with an early burst of scoring, knocking down perimeter shots and getting consistent paint touches as the Hawks built a lead that hovered around two possessions for much of the opening half. Truman answered throughout the frame behind the backcourt duo of Julian Brown and Ja'Vion Byers, who accounted for several key baskets to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance.

Midway through the half, Truman pieced together one of its strongest stretches of the afternoon. Stops on the defensive end set up transition opportunities, and a series of drives from Jahki Parrinello and Byers trimmed the deficit. With under a minute left in the half, Byrd came down the lane to finish a fastbreak opportunity, bringing Truman within 47–43 at the break and giving the Bulldogs momentum heading into the locker room.

Rockhurst quickly reclaimed control to begin the second half, hitting a pair of early threes and converting through the lane to push its lead back to double digits. The Bulldogs continued to battle behind an assertive offensive performance from Byers, who scored at all three levels, including a pair of jumpers that steadied Truman's offense.

The Hawks, however, continued their efficient shooting, finishing the game 30-of-60 from the field while outscoring Truman 42–18 in the paint. Despite strong minutes from Emmanuel Byrd inside and a late surge from Parrinello, the Bulldogs were unable to string together the stops needed for a final push as Rockhurst closed out the victory.
 

Bulldog Leaders

Ja'Vion Byers led Truman with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-7 from long range.
Jahki Parrinello added 12 points, going 8-of-12 at the free-throw line.
Julian Brown scored 10 points while tallying two assists.
Emmanuel Byrd anchored the frontcourt with 7 points, a team-high 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.
 

Team Statistics

• Field Goal Percentage: Truman 54.2% (26–48) | Rockhurst 50.0% (30–60)

• Three-Point Percentage: Truman 47.4% (9–19) | Rockhurst 45.0% (9–20)

• Free Throws: Truman 18–26 | Rockhurst 26–31

• Rebounds: Rockhurst 34 | Truman 24

• Points in the Paint: Rockhurst 42 | Truman 18

• Points Off Turnovers: Rockhurst 16 | Truman 13

• Second-Chance Points: Rockhurst 16 | Truman 4

• Bench Points: Rockhurst 15 | Truman 33

Up Next:
The Bulldogs return home for game two of the GLVC doubleheader against Drury University on Thursday at 7:30 PM. The Bulldogs and Panthers are tied with an even 13-13 record in the all-time series. Make sure to bring out canned food items as part of the canned food drive event with all proceeds being donated to the Adair County Food Pantry