KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Truman State women's basketball team celebrated Senior Day in style, defeating Lincoln (Mo.) 84-50 at Pershing Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs honored graduate assistant Trinitee Jackson and senior guard Neylan Vila Delicado following the game, and Truman State improved to 15-9 overall and 12-4 in conference play, while the Blue Tigers fell to 4-20 (2-15).
Truman State seized control from the opening tip and never looked back, building a commanding 22-7 lead after the first quarter. The Bulldogs shot an impressive 66.7% from the field in the opening frame, including 66.7% from three-point range, while holding Lincoln to just 12.5% shooting.
Lexie White set the tone early, connecting on a three-pointer at the 8:30 mark, followed by another at the 8:00 mark to help establish the early advantage. The Bulldogs' crisp ball movement and tenacious defense overwhelmed the Blue Tigers from the start.
The Blue Tigers showed signs of life in the second quarter, outscoring Truman 15-14 to cut the halftime deficit to 36-22. Lincoln's Hallie Williamson and Bella Borgos provided most of the offense during this stretch, helping the visitors improve their shooting to 46.2% in the period.
However, any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the third quarter as Truman State erupted for 28 points. The Bulldogs shot 64.3% from the floor and 60.0% from beyond the arc during the frame, extending their advantage to 64-31 entering the final period. Kennedy Retherford sparked the third-quarter surge with a three-pointer at the 3:32 mark, part of a decisive run that put the game out of reach.
The fourth quarter saw both teams empty their benches, with Truman maintaining their 33-34 point cushion throughout. The Bulldogs' largest lead reached 43 points at the 4:52 mark of the final quarter.
Vila Delicado orchestrated the offense brilliantly on her Senior Day, dishing out a game-high 12 assists while adding 7 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals in 35:48 minutes of action. The Bulldogs' balanced attack saw four players reach double figures, with Avery Rausch leading the way off the bench with 17 points on an efficient 5-6 shooting, including 3-4 from three-point range. Braylee Rogers was perfect from the field, going 6-6 for 12 points, while Lexie White added 12 points.
Team Statistics Comparison
| Category |
Truman State |
Lincoln (Mo.) |
| Field Goals |
29-60 (48.3%) |
17-59 (28.8%) |
| 3-Pointers |
11-29 (37.9%) |
7-27 (25.9%) |
| Free Throws |
15-19 (78.9%) |
9-13 (69.2%) |
| Rebounds |
48 |
27 |
| Assists |
21 |
9 |
| Steals |
10 |
11 |
| Turnovers |
16 |
15 |
| Blocks |
1 |
1 |
| Points in Paint |
34 |
18 |
| Bench Points |
42 |
14 |
| Fast Break Points |
16 |
0 |
| Second Chance Points |
16 |
4 |
Truman State Statistical Leaders
Points:
Rebounds:
Assists:
Steals:
Up Next:
The Bulldogs will need to be top dogs this coming week, as they have matchups with UMSL and Maryville awaiting. Truman currently sits in 4th place in the GLVC with four games remaining at 12-4. The Tritons lead the GLVC currently with a 16-1 conference record, and Maryville is in 3rd place with a 13-4 record in conference play.
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