In 2017-18, Grant Peterson's second season with the program as an assistant, the Bulldogs were able to accomplish many things including the following:
- Fifth-straight 20-win season (had never been done more than two-straight years)
- 13 conference wins (tied with 2013-14 for most in school history)
- Three first-team all-conference honorees (first time in 62 years and just third instance in school history)
- Sixth-straight conference tournament appearance (most in school history)
- Two seed in GLVC Tournament (highest conference tournament seed in school history)
- Appearance in GLVC Tournament finals (first time in school history and just third conference tournament finals appearance)
- Back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances (first time in school history)
- First-ever wins over Lewis and Indianapolis (0-9 prior to this season)
In 2016-17, Peterson's first year, he helped lead Truman State University men's basketball to one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Bulldogs appeared in the Division II NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 years before falling to No. 14 Ferris State in the Midwest Regional quarterfinals by a score of 86-78.
In the school's single-season record book, that squad ranked first in three-point field goal percentage, first in points, first in points per game, first in field goal percentage, first in three-pointers made, first in three-pointers attempted, first in free throw percentage, second in field goals made, fourth in free throws made, fourth in scoring margin, tied for fourth in assists, fifth in field goals attempted, sixth in steals, seventh in blocks, eighth in free throws attempted, 10th in steals per game, and tied for 10th in rebounding defense.
The Clear Lake, Iowa native came to Kirksville from Central Methodist University in Fayette, Mo. where he spent 2015-16 as a graduate assistant for the Eagles. Prior to that, he was at the University of Northern Iowa and served under Ben Jacobson as the head student manager and a graduate assistant in 2014-15. During his tenure with the Panthers, he oversaw and managed many areas within the basketball program.
