Game 25: TRUMAN (9-15, 6-10 MIAA) at Central Missouri (18-6, 12-4 MIAA)
Date: Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Time: 7:30 pm CT
Location: Kirksville, Mo. || Pershing Arena
Radio: 104.7 KRES-FM (Moberly, Mo.) || Listen Online
Video: Watch Online
Live Stats: Regular || Mobile || Media
Game Notes || Statistics || @TrumanAthletics
Game 26: TRUMAN at Northwest Missouri (17-8, 10-6 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, March 2, 2013
Time: 3:30 pm CT
Location: Maryville, Mo. || Bearcat Arena
Radio: 104.7 KRES-FM (Moberly, Mo.) || Listen Online
Video: Watch Online
Live Stats: Regular
Full Game Notes || Friday Update Game Notes || Statistics || @TrumanAthletics
Opening Tip:
With an MIAA tournament berth in-hand, the Truman men's basketball team will look to improve its seeding with a pair of games this week, concluding the regular season with road games at Central Missouri and Northwest Missouri this Wednesday and Saturday.
Projected Starters:
G – #2 – Seth Jackson – 6'3” – 200 – SO – 12.2 ppg | 4.1 rpg | 1.2 apg | 2012 MIAA FOY
F – #5 – Mike Carlson – 6'9” – 200 – JR – 16.7 ppg | 6.5 rpg | 1.8 apg | 89% FT; 34 blocks
G – #12 – Cory Myers – 6'3” – 190 – FR – 6.1 ppg | 2.6 rpg | 4.4 apg | 41% FG; 32 steals
C – #21 – Marek Bush – 6'6” – 245 – JR – 3.7 ppg | 5.3 rpg | 0.3 apg | 42 O-Rebounds
G – #22 – Tom Norton – 5'9” – 170 – SR – 12.6 ppg | 1.0 rpg | 1.3 apg | 3.2 3FG/gm
Off the Bench:
G – #3 – Isaac Gardner – 6'4” – 205 – JR – 7.5 ppg | 1.5 rpg | 0.4 apg | 57 3FG
G – #10 – Matt Patterson – 5'10” – 165 – SR – 1.7 ppg | 0.8 rpg | 1.0 apg | 44% 3FG
G – #11 – Cole Myers – 6'3” – 190 – FR – 4.6 ppg | 2.2 rpg | 1.8 apg | 31 steals
F – #15 – Jaylon Jones – 6'5” – 230 – FR – 3.9 ppg | 2.0 rpg | 0.3 apg | 46% FG
G – #20 – Dominic Kacich – 6'3” – 170 – SO – 3.0 ppg | 0.0 rpg | 0.5 apg | 2 GP
F – #33 – Tyler Anderson – 6'5” – 210 – SO – 5.7 ppg | 4.0 rpg | 0.5 apg | 58% FG
C – #35 – Patrick Burmester – 6'9” – 235 – SO – 1.0 ppg | 2.4 rpg | 0.6 apg | 8 GP
2013 Redshirts:
C – #24 – Kiefer Starbird – 6'10” – 200 – FR
G – #30 – Andrew Vander Zwaag – 6'3” – 185 – SO
F – #32 – Connor Erickson – 6'8” – 190 – FR
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Matt Woodley
Career Record: 17-35 || .327 || 2nd season
At Truman: Same
MIAA: 11-25 || .306
Assistant Coaches: Todd Lorensen (2nd season), Matt Fitzpatrick (2nd season)
Tournament Tracker:
With its 81-74 win at Lincoln on Saturday, the Truman men earned an MIAA tournament berth for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The Bulldogs enter the week currently all alone in 12th – a half-game behind both Southwest Baptist and Missouri Southern but a full game ahead of Missouri Western.
Two contingencies helping the 'Dogs is Lindenwood's postseason ineligibility, which moves the Bulldogs up to 11th as it stands, as well as Truman's wins against MWSU and Nebraska-Kearney that gives the Bulldogs the tiebreaker advantages.
Seeds 5 through 12 will play in MIAA first-round games on campus sites next Monday (March 4), with the winners joining seeds 1 through 4 in Kansas City for the eight-team event. Quarterfinals for the men are set for Thursday (March 8), while the semifinals and championship will be held on Saturday/Sunday (March 10-11).
The Bulldogs could finish at best with the No. 8 seed, although a handful of potential outcomes are still in place for the Bulldogs pending other results throughout the week. Fans are encouraged to check with TrumanBulldogs.com for the latest as the final week of the regular season plays out.
Turning the Corner:
The Bulldogs now have nine wins on the season, surpassing last season's win total and giving them the most by a Truman squad since the 2006-07 season (16).
In addition, Truman has already matched as many road games won this season (4) as the last four years combined, as well as the most in a single-season since 2006-07 (5). The Bulldogs have also won more MIAA games this year (6) than any since 2006-07 (9), despite playing two fewer games.
Bulldog Buckets:
· The Bulldogs are scoring 71.4 ppg on the season (70.8 MIAA), shooting 44.5% from the field (43.8% MIAA), and 35.8% from three-point range (36.2% MIAA).
· Truman is connecting at a 72.5% clip from the foul line through all 24 games, with that mark raised to 75.9% in 16 MIAA contests.
· The Bulldogs have experienced success in the post this year, averaging 28.8 points from inside the lane. That compares to 25.8 points from in the paint for their opponents, leading to a +3.0 margin by the 'Dogs.
· Truman has had 11 different 20+ point outings this season, including a team-best seven by junior Mike Carlson. Carlson (vs. WPU; Nov. 9, 2012) and senior Tom Norton (vs. UNK; Jan. 24, 2013) are tied for the team-high this year with 27-point games.
Top 'Dogs:
· The Bulldogs are ranked in the top-third of MIAA team statistics in three-pointers made per game (4th; 7.8) and assist-to-turnover ratio (5th; 1.1).
· Mike Carlson is one of the MIAA's top players statistically this year, ranking third in free throw shooting (88.8%), fifth in blocks (1.4), seventh in both scoring (16.7) and steals (1.5) and 11th in rebounding (6.5).
· Tom Norton also ranks amongst the MIAA's elite, pacing the conference in both three-pointers made (3.2/game) and free throw shooting (92.0%).
· Isaac Gardner ranks fifth in the MIAA in three-pointers made per game (2.4), while Cory Myers ranks seventh in assists (4.5) and 10th in assist/turnover ratio (1.5).
Series Notes vs. Central Missouri:
Series Record: Central Missouri leads 126-66
Last Meeting: Central Missouri 63-59 (Jan. 19, 2013 | Kirksville)
Series Streak: UCM W-16
Record in Warrensburg: Central Missouri leads 60-19 (W-6)
Last Truman win in Warrensburg: Truman 77-69 (Jan. 4, 2006)
Woodley vs. Central Missouri: 0-3
Scouting the Mules:
Winners of three straight, Central Missouri enters the final week of the regular season controlling its own destiny for an MIAA crown, as the Mules hold a one-game lead with two to play. UCM hosts Truman on Wednesday before ending the season at Washburn on Saturday.
The Mules have the No. 2 scoring offense in the MIAA (78.0 ppg) and rank fifth in rebounding margin (+3.5). They are led by Dominique Long's 16.3 points per game, while Widgett Washington leads the MIAA in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3) and ranks fourth in assists at 5.3 per game.
Earlier this season, the Bulldogs came up four points short in a 63-59 home loss on Jan. 19. Truman led by five with 5:38 to play and was tied at the 3:08 mark before the Mules scored six of the final eight points for the victory. Mike Carlson led the 'Dogs with 15 points, while Long paced all players with 20 for UCM.
Kim Anderson is in his 11th season at UCM and has a 240-88 record at the school.
Series Notes vs. Northwest Missouri:
Series Record: Northwest Missouri leads 101-91
Last Meeting: Northwest Missouri 94-87 (2ot) (Feb. 15, 2012 | Kirksville)
Series Streak: NWMSU W-3
Record in Maryville: Northwest Missouri leads 53-29 (W-6)
Last Truman win at Maryville: Truman 76-71 (Feb. 1, 2006)
Woodley vs. Northwest Missouri: 0-2
Scouting the Bearcats:
Northwest Missouri enters the final week of the regular season tied for sixth in the MIAA, two games back of UCM for the top spot. The Bearcats, who are coming off back-to-back home wins against WU and MWSU, will travel to Nebraska-Kearney on Wednesday before hosting Truman on Saturday afternoon.
The Bearcats boast the MIAA's top scoring defense (60.8 ppg) and rank fourth in rebounding margin (+4.0). However, the squad is 14th in the league offensively (66.6 ppg) and makes just six three-pointers per game (12th in MIAA).
Truman and Northwest have yet to play this season, saving the final scheduled meeting between the two MIAA charter members for the final game of the regular season. Last year, the squads played a memorable double-overtime game in Pershing Arena, with NWMSU coming out on top 94-87. Tom Norton scored a career-high 34 points, as the Bulldogs went 13-of-26 from three-point range in the loss.
Ben McCollum is in his fourth season at the helm of the NWMSU men's program, with a career record of 61-46.
Norton Patrol:
With 1,104 career points, Tom Norton now ranks 16th on Truman's all-time career scoring chart, having passed both Grant Agbo and Austin Kirby last week. He needs 13 points to pass Jack Beck (1951-55) for 15th all-time and is 34 points away from passing Johnnie Wesley (1980-82) for 14th.
In addition, Norton has 262 career three-pointers, ranking second all-time at Truman behind Steve Schieppe's top mark of 300.
Bring Some Chips to the Block Party:
Junior Mike Carlson has a team-high 34 blocks this season, giving him 59 through 52 career games as a Bulldog. He is all alone in ninth all-time in Truman history and is eight back of Brian Brown's 8th-place total of 67, set from 1997-2000.
“Free”bies:
In MIAA-only play, the Bulldogs are shooting 75.9% (255-for-336) from the charity stripe. Helping hold up those numbers is a combined 203-for-240 (84.6%) line from Mike Carlson, Tom Norton, Seth Jackson, Isaac Gardner and Cory Myers – Truman's top five scorers in league play.
Making a Splash from Downtown:
The Bulldogs have made at least one three-pointer in every game since Feb. 12, 2003, a stretch of 276 consecutive games.
Up Next:
The Bulldogs will have a showdown in the MIAA tournament's first round against a team and at a location both still to be determined. The game will be played at 7:00 pm on Monday, March 4.
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