Truman Game Notes (.PDF)
Season Preview
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - The 98th season in the history of Truman State University men's basketball is here and it begins with the GLVC/G-MAC Challenge hosted by Maryville under The Arch in St. Louis, Mo. Just like 2016-17, the Bulldogs will open up with Trevecca Nazarene and Cedarville, whom they swept last year as part of the Yellow Jackets' Don Callan Classic in Ohio.
Supporting a roster full of youth and inexperience will be two of Truman's top four scorers from a year ago in junior guards, Jake Velky (16.1 points per game) and Nathan Messer (11.6 points per game). The only other returner that averaged more than five points per game is the squad's lone senior, Zach Fischer, who put up 7.2 points per contest as a redshirt junior.
The 18 players on the 2017-18 edition of Truman men's basketball feature eight that haven't seen game action at the college level, another two that haven't competed at the Division II level and four more with 25 games played or less under their belt. That leaves just four players with more than 25 games of experience as a member of the Purple and White.
Scouting Trevecca Nazarene
Much like Truman, Trevecca Nazarene enters its 2017-18 campaign with a very young roster that features six freshmen, five sophomores, four juniors, and only two seniors. Those 17 players will be coached by Sam Harris in his 25th season at the helm of Trojan men's basketball. Trevecca Nazarene was picked to finish in a tie for 10th out of 12 teams for the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) preseason coaches poll on Oct. 18. The Trojans played three preseason games against the likes of Belmont on Nov. 2, Mount Vernon Nazarene on Nov. 4 and Middle Tennessee on Nov. 10 before leaving for St. Louis. Trevecca Nazarene returns its top two scorers from a season ago in sophomore guard, Devin Whitfield (15.7 points per game), and senior guard, Jacob Williams (12.9 points per game). Williams broke the school record for three-pointers made in a single game last season with nine and finished with 69 of them, which was second in the league.
Scouting Cedarville
Cedarville was picked to finish in ninth out of 12 teams for the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) preseason coaches poll on Oct. 18. Only two of the team's top six scorers from a year ago are back for the 2017-18 campaign including senior guard, Patrick Bain (13.5 points per game), and junior forward, Robert Okoro (7.9 points per game). Okoro was the team's second-leading rebounder with 5.3 per contest while pacing the Yellow Jackets with 17 blocks, 66 offensive rebounds and a .530 field goal percentage. Okoro, Kwenton Scott, Joey Morlan, and Evan Kraatz each appeared in all 29 games for Cedarville last season and the last three of those four will push for starting roles this year. 2017-18 marks year No. 10 for Cedarville men's basketball under the leadership of Pat Estepp. In those nine previous seasons, Estepp has collected a record of 168-109. In 2016-17, the Yellow Jackets finished with an overall record of 13-16, including a mark of 5-7 in G-MAC play. The season came to a close against Malone in the G-MAC Tournament.
Preseason Poll
Truman was picked to finish second in the West Division for the GLVC's Preseason Poll. With the closing of Saint Joseph's this past spring, the league switched to three five-team divisions instead of two eight-team divisions that were in place for previous seasons. Teams will play a home and home against teams within their divisions and play the other 10 teams once apiece for 18 GLVC games. The top eight teams with the most points derived from the new GLVC Point Rating System at the end of the regular season will earn a berth to the GLVC Basketball Championship Tournament on March 1-4 at the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Illinois. The Bulldogs earned 56 points and five first-place votes just behind Drury's 60 points and seven first-place nods. In the East, Bellarmine received 54 points and 13 of a possible 15 first-place votes while each of the five teams in the Central were given first-place nods. Maryville was out in front with 56 points and six first-place votes.
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