Kirksville, Mo. – The Truman State women's basketball team split a pair of home games at Pershing Arena this weekend, falling to Drury 67-63 on Thursday before bouncing back with a dominant 90-55 victory over Southwest Baptist on Saturday.
Thursday vs. Drury (L, 67-63)
The Bulldogs battled the Panthers in a back-and-forth contest that featured five lead changes and five ties. Truman opened strong as Morgan Miller drained a three-pointer to give the Bulldogs an early 3-0 advantage. The opening period saw multiple momentum swings, with Mariann Blass hitting a triple to push the lead to 6-2, but Drury responded to tie the game at 9-9 and eventually took a slim 16-14 lead into the second quarter.
The second period continued the competitive nature as Truman briefly regained the lead on Mallory Ott's three-pointer, giving the Bulldogs a 21-16 advantage at the 6:40 mark, their largest lead of the game. However, Drury's inside presence proved difficult to contain as Sara Mendel dominated in the paint, and the Panthers built their lead to 33-24 late in the half. Katelyn Odem's three-pointer with 1:05 remaining cut the deficit to three points, and Maggie Chambers added another triple in the final seconds to make it 33-30 at halftime.
The third quarter saw Drury extend their advantage to double digits. Despite strong free throw shooting from Emajin McCallop, who made four consecutive attempts, the Panthers pushed their lead to 55-45 entering the final period.
Truman mounted a furious fourth-quarter rally. McCallop caught fire, scoring eight points in the final frame and attacking the basket relentlessly. Blass contributed six points down the stretch, and Braylee Rogers provided a crucial spark with a tip-in to cut the deficit to 62-59 with 1:39 remaining. Blass made it a one-possession game with a jumper at 0:21, bringing Truman within 63-61. However, Drury's Rhi Gibbons and Kaylee King converted clutch free throws in the final seconds to seal the victory.
Saturday vs. Southwest Baptist (W, 90-55)
The Bulldogs came out with renewed energy and never looked back against the Bearcats. Truman established control early, racing to a 29-13 lead after the first quarter. The offensive explosion was led by balanced scoring, with Blass hitting a three-pointer and Ott connecting from deep to push the advantage to 8-2. The Bulldogs' defensive pressure forced Southwest Baptist into seven first-quarter turnovers while Truman scored eight second-chance points.
The second period saw Truman extend their dominance. Rogers scored on a driving layup at 9:51, and Odem drained a three-pointer to give the Bulldogs a commanding 34-13 lead. The advantage ballooned to 48-26 at halftime as Truman's balanced attack continued to overwhelm the Bearcats. Miller knocked down a three-pointer in the final minute of the half to provide additional cushion.
Southwest Baptist showed resilience in the third quarter, with Claudia Diez Sancho scoring nine points to keep the game from becoming a complete runaway. However, Truman responded every time the Bearcats threatened. Odem hit her third three-pointer of the game, and Rogers scored on multiple driving layups to maintain the advantage at 64-39 entering the fourth.
The final period was all Bulldogs. Rogers erupted for 13 points in the quarter, showcasing her ability to score in the paint. She finished the day with a career best nineteen points. Kennedy Retherford added five points, including a three-pointer at 2:43, as Truman's bench continued to contribute. The Bulldogs built their largest lead of 38 points in the closing seconds, finishing with the emphatic 90-55 victory.
Team Statistics Comparison
Thursday vs. Drury
| Category |
Truman State |
Drury |
| Field Goals |
22-58 (37.9%) |
24-56 (42.9%) |
| Three-Pointers |
6-19 (31.6%) |
6-14 (42.9%) |
| Free Throws |
13-19 (68.4%) |
13-18 (72.2%) |
| Rebounds |
39 |
35 |
| Assists |
10 |
16 |
| Turnovers |
10 |
10 |
| Steals |
2 |
1 |
| Blocks |
1 |
2 |
| Points in Paint |
26 |
34 |
| Bench Points |
26 |
26 |
Saturday vs. Southwest Baptist
| Category |
Truman State |
Southwest Baptist |
| Field Goals |
31-72 (43.1%) |
20-53 (37.7%) |
| Three-Pointers |
9-25 (36.0%) |
6-17 (35.3%) |
| Free Throws |
19-21 (90.5%) |
9-16 (56.3%) |
| Rebounds |
41 |
37 |
| Assists |
22 |
8 |
| Turnovers |
9 |
26 |
| Steals |
18 |
5 |
| Blocks |
5 |
1 |
| Points in Paint |
40 |
26 |
| Bench Points |
40 |
21 |
Bulldogs Statistical Leaders
Points
Rebounds
Assists
Steals
Field Goal Percentage (Minimum 10 Attempts)
Up Next:
Truman will get next week off for finals week before heading on the road to face Washburn on Tuesday, December 16th at 6:00 PM. The Bulldogs will look to snap a four game skid against the Ichabods.
#BulldogNation
