KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Truman State men's basketball team split a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference games at Pershing Arena over the weekend, defeating Illinois-Springfield 66-65 on Saturday after falling to McKendree 73-62 on Thursday. The Bulldogs now stand at 6-9 overall and 3-4 in GLVC play.
Truman State 66, Illinois-Springfield 65
The Bulldogs held off a furious second-half comeback from Illinois-Springfield to secure a one-point victory in front of 207 fans. Truman built a commanding 14-point lead in the second half before UIS rallied to make it a one-possession game down the stretch.
Truman started strong, jumping out to an early 8-2 lead in the first half. The Bulldogs maintained control throughout most of the opening period, taking a 29-25 advantage into halftime behind balanced scoring and solid shooting.
The second half saw Truman extend its lead to as many as 14 points at 41-27 early in the period. Brown continued his hot shooting, connecting on back-to-back three-pointers to help build the cushion. However, Illinois-Springfield refused to go away, chipping away at the deficit throughout the second half.
The Prairie Stars cut the lead to one point at 64-63 with under four minutes remaining when Adidas Davis hit a three-pointer. After trading baskets, UIS took a brief 65-64 lead with just over three minutes left. Ja'Vion Byers answered with a crucial driving layup to give Truman a 66-65 lead with 2:16 remaining. The Bulldogs' defense locked down in the final possessions, forcing turnovers and contested shots to preserve the victory.
The game featured ten lead changes and seven ties, with neither team able to pull away until Truman's second-half surge. The Bulldogs' ability to force nine turnovers and convert them into points proved crucial in the close contest.
McKendree 73, Truman State 62
The Bulldogs struggled to find their offensive rhythm against McKendree, falling behind early and never recovering in the 11-point home loss. McKendree controlled the game for over 37 minutes, never trailing after taking an early lead.
Truman briefly held a 2-0 advantage on a Julian Brown layup in the opening minute, but McKendree responded immediately. The Bearcats used a strong offensive performance from Cha'Vez Woods, who finished with 18 points, to build their lead. McKendree led by as many as eight points in the first half and took a 37-33 advantage into the break.
The second half saw McKendree extend its lead despite Truman's efforts to mount a comeback. The Bearcats pushed their advantage to double digits multiple times in the second period, including a 16-point lead late in the game. The Bulldogs shot just 34.5% from the field for the game, including a difficult 31.3% in the second half.
Brown led Truman with 20 points on 5-of-10 shooting, adding four rebounds. Jahki Parrinello contributed 11 points in the effort. The Bulldogs were outrebounded 39-38 but struggled to capitalize on opportunities, converting just 15-of-23 from the free-throw line.
McKendree's balanced attack proved too much for Truman, as the Bearcats shot 47.3% from the field and dominated the paint with 38 points. Rini Harris added 12 points and Joshua Schönbäck chipped in 11 for the visitors.
Weekend Statistical Leaders (Combined)
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Up Next:
The Bulldogs will face off against the Lewis Flyers after steadying themselves through the first half of GLVC play. Truman will look to secure their fourth straight victory over Lewis on Thursday at 7:30 PM.
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