KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Truman State honored seniors Julian Brown, Ja'Vion Byers, Emmanuel Byrd, and Brennan Lovette before Friday's game, but visiting Lincoln (Mo.) spoiled the celebration with a 93-79 victory at Pershing Arena. The Bulldogs fell to 10-14 overall and 7-9 in conference play, while the Blue Tigers improved to 11-14 (5-12).
The game featured back-and-forth action early, with nine lead changes and seven ties in a competitive first half. Truman State built an early 8-point advantage at 31-23 with 7:23 remaining in the opening period, sparked by a Julian Brown three-pointer at 7:23 that capped an 8-0 run.
However, Lincoln responded immediately. Quientan McCafferty ignited a Blue Tiger comeback with a three-pointer at 8:20, and Brown answered with another three-pointer at 7:23 to help Truman maintain its lead.
McCafferty provided a spark off the bench in the first half, scoring 11 points on 4-5 shooting, including a tip-in layup at 1:31 that gave the Bulldogs a 40-36 lead. McCafferty added a free throw at 1:31 to extend the advantage to 41-36, sending Truman into halftime with a slim 41-39 edge.
The second half belonged to Lincoln. The Blue Tigers opened the period on a 9-2 run, with Malcolm Davis connecting on back-to-back three-pointers at 19:41 and 19:11 to give Lincoln a 45-41 lead and momentum it would not relinquish.
Tyler Chapman took over down the stretch, scoring 10 points in the final 20 minutes and finishing with a game-high 29 points on 11-20 shooting. His three-pointer at 10:19 pushed Lincoln's lead to 68-63, and the Blue Tigers maintained control throughout the final minutes.
Byers paced the Bulldogs with 18 points on efficient 6-9 shooting, including 3-5 from beyond the arc. Byrd added 14 points, while Brown chipped in 10 points and 4 assists. McCafferty finished with 13 points off the bench on 5-7 shooting.
Lincoln shot 65.4% from the field and 55.6% from three-point range in the second half, while holding a 37-15 rebounding advantage for the game.
Team Statistics Comparison
| Category |
Lincoln (Mo.) |
Truman State |
| Field Goals |
32-54 (59.3%) |
29-53 (54.7%) |
| 3-Pointers |
10-20 (50.0%) |
9-19 (47.4%) |
| Free Throws |
19-22 (86.4%) |
12-17 (70.6%) |
| Rebounds |
37 |
15 |
| Assists |
19 |
15 |
| Steals |
3 |
7 |
| Turnovers |
14 |
9 |
| Blocks |
3 |
2 |
| Points in Paint |
28 |
34 |
| Bench Points |
9 |
19 |
| Fast Break Points |
5 |
11 |
| Second Chance Points |
13 |
8 |
Truman State Statistical Leaders
Points:
Rebounds:
Assists:
Steals:
Up Next:
Truman State will head on the road to face off against UMSL at 7:30 PM on Friday. This will be a crucial game for the Bulldogs with the Tritons currently in 8th place in the GLVC, while the Bulldogs sit in 9th at the moment.
