Sept. 13, 2000

Truman Plays Host to Southwest Baptist in MIAA Opener

THE GAME: Truman State University Bulldogs (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association/NCAA Division II) vs. Southwest University Bearcats (MIAA/NCAA DII
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 16, 2000
TIME: 1:30 p.m. (CDT)
LOCATION: Kirksville, Mo.
FIELD (CAPACITY): Stokes Stadium (4,000)

BROADCAST: KRES 104.7 FM, Moberly, Mo. Ken Kujawa, play-by-play, and Brad Boyer and Hank Janssen, commentary. The Pregame show begins approximately 30 minutes before the game.

TEAM LINE: Live KRES broadcast by calling 1-800-846-4700. Access Code: 6350

TRUMAN: The Southwest Baptist University Bearcats, face-off with the Bulldogs Saturday in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association opener. Truman, 1-1 overall, will be looking to avenge last year's 18-16 loss to the Bearcats which snapped the 'Dogs' seven-game win-streak in the series with SBU.

The Bulldogs are re-grouping after committing seven turnovers in the contest at South Dakota last Saturday, giving up 18 points in the fourth quarter. In the closing minutes of the third period, Truman was behind just 20-14 and driving for the go-ahead score when an interception on the USD 15-yard line sent the 'Dogs into a downward spiral.

The Coyotes would pick off four more Bulldog passes in the fourth quarter and capitalize on three of those turnovers. The last South Dakota tally occurred with 11 seconds remaining in the game to put the final score at 38-14 in favor of USD.

Junior quarterback Eric Howe (West Des Moines, Iowa/Dowling) leads the conference in pass efficiency (138.2), passing yards per game (274.5) and total offense (265.5 ypg). He threw for 217 yards against South Dakota, completing 22 of 41 passes for one touchdown. He is currently ranked ninth all-time at Truman with 3,863 career passing yards, and needs just 200 more to overtake the eighth spot held by Steve Thompson (1991-94) who passed for 4,063 yards.

Junior wide receiver Kevin Collins (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption) leads Truman in receiving yardage at 196 on nine catches this year, ranking third in the conference in yards per game (98.0) and fifth with 4.5 receptions per game. If he maintains his average, Collins could climb as many as four spots on the Bulldogs' career receiving yards list where he currently sits at 15th with 1,221 since 1998.

Sophomore Andrew Blakley (St. Joseph, Mo./Central) has 10 catches for 97 yards to rank fourth in MIAA receptions per game (5.00), while sophomore wide receiver Geoff Jensen (Grinnell, Iowa) is fourth in receiving yards per game in the MIAA (75.5) after hauling in eight for 151 yards this year.

Sophomore Alfonso Pugh (Galesburg, Ill.) leads the MIAA in kickoff returns (43.0 ypr) with four for 172 yards. He ran one back 94 yards, scoring the 'Dogs' first TD of the South Dakota game and giving Truman a 7-3 lead early in the first quarter. That touchdown tied for the fifth longest kickoff return for a score in school history, and was the Bulldogs' first score on a kickoff since Oct. 19, 1991, when Larry McFall returned one 88-yards. That same year, Marcus McCoy returned a kickoff two games earlier for 92 yards and a TD.

Sophomore Austin Lepper (Ames, Iowa/Gilbert) also tops the league, averaging 44.5 yards per punt (11 for 491), while the newly initiated MIAA defensive rankings have freshman linebacker Derek Kent (Lucas, Iowa/Chariton) coming in tied at 13th among conference leaders with 8.0 tackles per game. He leads the team with 18 for the year, including two for a loss and 13 solos.

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST: Southwest Baptist is coming off a 23-7 loss to Central Arkansas, but won its season-opener via a 37-0 shutout over Quincy University (Ill.). The QU win was the first shutout for SBU since blanking Lincoln in 1989, 19-0. It was also the first victory in a season-opener for the Bearcats since 1992.

Chris Lowe quarterbacks the Bearcats and is ranked fifth in the MIAA in passing yards per game with 154.0. He has completed 18 of 61 passes for 308 yards with five interceptions and no touchdowns through the first two games.

Junior tailback Palu Lotaki leads SBU in rushing with 22 carries for 115 yards and three TDs to rank 10th in the league. Freshman Kenneth Davis is ranked 10th in MIAA receptions per game (3.5) with seven for 75 yards, while Michael Hicks leads the team in receiving yardage with 128 on five catches to rank seventh in the MIAA (64.0).

Senior defensive back Chad Myers has snagged two interceptions for the Bearats, both against Quincy. But SBU's defensive back Richard Harris intercepted a pass against Central Arkansas and returned it 74 yards, accounting for all of Southwest Baptist's scoring in the UCA encounter.

Southwest Baptist's Two-Game Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: Palu Lotaki, 22 for 115 yds, 3 TDs
Passing: Chris Lowe, 18 of 61, 5 int., 0 TDs
Receptions: Kenneth Davis, 7 for 75 yds
Receiving Yards: Michael Hicks, 128 (5)
All-Purpose Yardage: Michael Hicks, 198
Total Offense: Chris Lowe, 75 plays, 294 yds
Field Goals: Brandon Starks, 1 of 2, 39 lg
Punt Returns: Michael Hicks, 5 for 11 yds
Kickoff Returns: Michael Hicks, 4 for 62 yds
Interceptions: Chad Myers, 2 for 2 yards
Scoring: Palu Lotaki, 3 TDs
Tackles: McCario Dade, 22

SERIES RECORD: Truman leads 10-2
First Meeting: 1988 (Truman won, 32-0)
Last Meeting: 1999 (Southwest won, 18-16)
Last Truman Win: 1998 (31-14)
Last SBU Win: 1999 (18-16)
Biggest Truman Win: 1994 (45-6)
Biggest SBU Win: 1991 (37-25)

COACHES RECORDS: Truman head coach John Ware is entering his sixth season at the helm for the Bulldogs, and has a record of 31-25 (.554) in his first stint as a collegiate head coach. In MIAA action, his teams have posted a record of 30-15 (.667). Ware enjoyed the first non-conference win of his career in the season opener, defeating Northern Michigan, 35-24.

Dennis Roland is in his third season at Southwest Baptist and has posted a record of 6-18 (.250) with the Bearcats. He is 31-44 (.413) in seven seasons as a collegiate head coach.

TRUMAN VS. SOUTHWEST BAPTIST ON SEPT. 18, 1999: After a scoreless first quarter, Southwest Baptist took a 6-0 lead at the half. The Bearcats put the first-half points up after snagging an interception on the Bulldogs 44-yard line. The SBU quarterback then connected with his receiver for a 35-yard gain, putting the 'Cats on the Truman 9-yard line. Three plays later an 11-yard reception put SBU on the board.

Former Bulldog tailback Deric Johnson helped the Bulldogs get ahead early in the third period on a 1-yard run, followed by the PAT kick to make it 7-6.

But the Bearcats would answer on the very next drive, using 3:27, eight plays and 78 yards to go ahead again, 12-7. A two-point pass attempt failed.

The 'Dogs inched closer with a Klee 26-yard field goal at 6:41 in the fourth quarter. Truman then held the Bearcats to three-and-out and culminated the next drive on a 29-yard go-ahead run by Johnson, putting the 'Dogs up 16-12 with 2:49 left in the game.

But the never say die Bearcats converted a third and 21, a fourth and 10 and a fourth and one on the next drive. The last conversion was a 47-yard bomb that was launched as the SBU quarterback was nearly sacked and taken in for the winning score. The 'Cats' two-point conversion was intercepted by cornerback Ramon Christopher to make the final tally 18-16 in SBU's favor.

The Bulldogs had 33 seconds left to try to come away with a victory, however another interception ended their hopes.

TRUMAN COACHES' PLAYERS OF THE WEEK FOR 9-11-00:
Receiver: Blakley
Defensive Line: Senior Leo Smith (Monroe City, Mo.)
Linebacker: Sophomore Jake Willrich (Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes)
Defensive Back: Sophomore Philip Lay (Rock Hill, Mo./Webster Groves)
Special Teams: Sophomore defensive back Lance Dorsey (Hannibal, Mo.)
Big Hit: Kent
Special Effort: Pugh and Willrich

Current MIAA Standings

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