Bulldogs Solid from Stripe in 76-70 Home Win

FINAL: Truman 76, Illinois Springfield 70 || Box Scores (HTML | XML | PDF)
2013-14 Schedule || 2013-14 Season Stats || Career Stats (active players)

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - Dominating performances both from the free throw line and on the glass helped counter a tough shooting night for the Truman Bulldog men's basketball team, as the purple and white grinded out a 76-70 home victory against Illinois Springfield on Thursday evening in Pershing Arena.

Senior forward Mike Carlson led all players with a 33-point, 13-rebound double-double that included a 19-of-20 effort from the charity stripe. As a team, Truman (9-3, 2-2 GLVC) hit 27-of-28 from the free throw line – good for second-most all-time in school history for total makes and total percentage (96.4%) – while also patrolling the glass to a 41-25 advantage. The Bulldogs also limited UIS (4-7, 0-3 GLVC) to just three offensive rebounds and four second-chance points while turning 13 offensive boards into 15 second-chance points of their own.

In a game that was played with a single-digit margin throughout, the Bulldogs and Prairie Stars featured only two tie scores and one lead change overall, with Truman maintaining a lead for more than 37 of the game's 40 minutes. After the 'Dogs took a 36-30 lead into the break, Truman led by as many as nine in the early stages of the second half before UIS eventually drew even at 60-60 with 5:42 to play. However, on back-to-back possessions, junior guard Reed Mells buried jumpers to extend Truman's lead to four with just more than three minutes to play.

The Prairie Stars would slip to within a bucket twice more, but Carlson's red-hot shooting from the stripe – 10-for-10 in the final 2:46 of game action – kept UIS at bay and provided the 'Dogs with their second GLVC win of the season.

Carlson was one of four Bulldogs to finish in double figures offensively, as he was joined by Mells (12), Seth Jackson (10) and Andrew Vander Zwaag (10). Mells added a career-high nine rebounds and six assists to go alongside three steals, while Carlson chipped in three assists, three blocks and a pair of steals during his 36 minutes of play.

For the game, the Bulldogs shot 36.2% (21-of-58) overall from the field, including a 7-of-28 (25.0%) mark from beyond the arc. Truman dealt 16 assists on its 21 made baskets and corralled 10 steals.

Regan Bruener led the Prairie Stars with 22 points, while Kentrell King added five assists.

Truman returns to the court on Saturday afternoon in search of win No. 10 on the season when it hosts McKendree (Ill.) at 3 p.m. in Pershing Arena. The Bearcats are now 6-4 overall (0-2 GLVC) following a 103-72 loss at Quincy on Thursday night.

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