Men's Basketball Notes: Quincy

Quincy (Ill.) @ Truman – Tuesday, Nov. 22, 7:30 pm
Pershing Arena; Kirksville, Mo.
Audio: 104.7 FM – KRES (Moberly, Mo.); Also streamed online at CentralMOInfo.com
Video: Link Available at TrumanBulldogs.com
Live Stats: Link Available at TrumanBulldogs.com

PDF Notes

Game Preview:
Truman's long-time rivalry with Quincy University will add the 109^th chapter to its story on Tuesday night when the Bulldogs and Hawks square off at 7:30 pm for a non-conference tilt in Pershing Arena.

The Bulldogs will be playing their second GLVC-opponent in as many contests, having dropped a 67-64 decision at Maryville (Mo.) University on Saturday afternoon in St. Louis. However, Tuesday night's showdown will continue the longest out-of-state series history for the Bulldogs, as Truman and Quincy have met at least once every season dating back to the 1967-68 campaign, with QU holding the all-time series lead 57-51.

However, the Bulldogs have protected their home court to a 36-22 tune, including the last time the teams played in Kirksville. It was four meetings ago on Nov. 18, 2008, but Banks Estridge's 20 points and nine each by Patrick Fandja and Gabe Landau helped the Bulldogs earn a 66-62 victory.

Truman enters with a 2-3 overall record, while Quincy comes in a perfect 2-0 after winning its home opener against Hannibal-LaGrange 75-60 and hitting the road on Saturday to down Div. I Illinois-Chicago 65-61.

Last Time Out:
at Maryville (Mo.) 67, TRUMAN 64
ST. LOUIS - - The Truman men's basketball team had three chances in final minute to tie or take the lead, but the Bulldogs couldn't get a bucket to fall as Maryville held on for a 67-64 victory on Saturday afternoon.

After falling behind by 13 just nine minutes into the game, the Bulldogs (2-3) stormed back to take the lead on one of Isaac Gardner's six three-pointers on the day with 3:55 to play in the first half. The two teams were nearly inseparable for the next 19 minutes, as it wasn't until an MU three-pointer with 4:35 left in the game that gave either team a lead greater than five.

The Saints (2-0) maintained their edge, leading 65-57 with 1:53 to go before triples on back-to-back possessions by Gardner and freshman Mike Carlson slashed the lead to just two, 65-63, with 1:06 on the clock.

Following a steal, freshman Andrew Vander Zwaag was sent to the line, where he made just one of two to make it a one-point game. However, despite the Saints converting just two out of five free throws in the final 30 seconds, the Bulldogs missed a three-pointer and a layup on what would be their final two possessions.

Gardner led all players with 20 points, hitting six three-pointers and one regular field goal to go alongside a team-high eight rebounds. Junior guard Tom Norton added 18 behind four three-pointers, and Carlson chipped in eight – all in the second-half. The 'Dogs shot 39% for the game and hit 13-of-28 three-pointers, while also out-rebounding the Saints 36-27.

The squads combined for 28 made triples on the day, with MU also shooting 46% from long-range but hitting two extra.

A Fast Check of the Regulars:
·       Junior guard Tom Norton is averaging 18.0 ppg and is the team-leader in three-pointers made with 19. Hit is 19-for-20 (95%) from the FT line and has 12 assists this year.
·       Freshman guard Seth Jackson, after missing the first two games of the season, is the team's second-leading scoring leader at 14.7 ppg. He is 13-for-14 from the FT line.
·       Redshirt freshman forward Mike Carlson is averaging 13.4 ppg and is tied for the team-high with 5.6 rpg. His 18 assists also lead the squad.
·       Sophomore guard Isaac Gardner is the team's leading defensive-rebounder with 27, and he is tied for the overall team lead at 5.6 rpg. He is also averaging 11.4 ppg and has hit 16 three-pointers.
·       Junior guard EJ Hicks is averaging 8.0 ppg off the bench and is shooting 52%.
·       Freshman center Patrick Burmester is the team's leader in blocks with six. He is shootng 56% from the field.
·       Sophomore Marek Bush is averaging nearly 20 minutes per game off the bench and scoring 3.6 ppg. He has eight offensive rebounds and a pair of blocks.
·       Freshman guard Andrew Vander Zwaag has started all five games and is averaging 3.4 ppg and 3.0 rpg. He has three steals and 13 assists (2^nd on squad).

Bulldog Tip-Ins:
·       The Bulldogs are off to a 2-3 start in 2011-12 after going 7-19 (5-17 MIAA) last year.
·       Truman is shooting 45.9% from the field as a team, including 40.3% (48-for-119) from three-point range.
·       The Bulldogs are connecting at a 71.7% (66-for-92) mark from the free throw line.
·       Truman is out-rebounding opponents by a +3.5 margin (35.8-32.2).
·       The Bulldogs have hit at least eight three-pointers in every game this season, including a combined 23 in the past two (at Grand View and at Maryville).
·       In the second half this season, the Bulldogs are outscoring their opponents 43-34 and are shooting 52% from the floor. The squad is also at 51% (29-for-57) from 3-point range.

Topping the Charts:
·       Tom Norton (7 at GVU) and Isaac Gardner (6 at MU) both put themselves on the all-time single-game program chart with three-pointers made in the past two games.
·       Norton has 148 career three-pointers made, ranking him 9^th already on Truman's career 3-pointers made list. He is six behind Jiri Mikl (1999-2003; 154) for 8^th.
·       Norton, through two-plus seasons, is shooting .890 from the free throw line (113-for-127), which qualifies him for the top spot all time at Truman (minimum 100 made; both Scott Matthews (1993-94) and Mike Peterson (1987-89) finished their careers at .848).
·       Senior center Vesko Filchev is fifth all-time in career blocks with 76. He needs one to tie Erik Hansen (1982-87; 77).

Scouting the Hawks:
Quincy University, members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, come into Tuesday night's game with a 2-0 record, having downed Hannibal-LaGrange at home 75-60 on Nov. 15 before beating Div. I Illinois-Chicago 65-61 on the road on Nov. 19. The Hawks will face a second MIAA team – Central Missouri – on Saturday afternoon following Thanksgiving in Quincy.

Through just the two regular season games, the Hawks are averaging 70 points per game behind double-digit averages by 6-foot-8 senior Justin Brock (15.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and 6-foot-4 guard Chris Babbitt (12.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg). Nine different players have played in both games, with five different players averaging at least 25 minutes per contest.

The Hawks are shooting 48% from the floor but just 21% from three-point range. QU has made it up at the free throw line though, connecting on 30-of-36 attempts (83.3%).

Marty Bell is in his ninth season at the helm of the men's basketball program at QU. He was an assistant coach at Drake University at the same time current Truman head coach Matt Woodley was a player on the DU Bulldog squad.

Up Next:
The Bulldogs will hit the court again on Saturday afternoon when the squad travels to Fayette, Iowa, for a 1:00 pm tipoff against Upper Iowa University.

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