Nov. 7, 2000

Men's Basketball to Face Missouri-Kansas City in Exhibition Game

The Exhibition Game: Truman State University Bulldogs (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association/NCAA Division II) vs. University of Missouri-Kansas City (Mid-Continent Conference/NCAA Division I)
Date: Wed., Nov. 8
Time: 7 p.m. (CST)
Location: Kansas City, Mo.
Arena (Cap.): Municipal Auditorium (9,827)

Truman: The Bulldogs are set to begin the 2000-01 campaign with a new look. Gone are five players who played in nearly 500 career games, including two-time honorable mention all-America Cory Parker and two-time academic all-America Jason Reinberg.

But Truman has brought in a group of six newcomers to blend with six returning lettermen.

Senior guard Mike Peterson (Mason City, Iowa) is the lone returning starter of a year ago, when he averaged 10.1 points while leading the team with 53 three-pointers and a 41.1 percentage from beyond the arc. Peterson, a career 43 percent three-point shooter, serves as co-captain of the team this year.

The other Bulldog co-captain is senior forward Brian Brown (Centralia, Mo.), who earned honorable mention all-conference honors two seasons ago. Last year, Brown averaged 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds while starting nine of the 27 games. Brown, who led the team in blocked shots (17) last year, has played in all 60 games over the past two seasons, collecting 31 starts.

Both Peterson and Brown have solid postseason experience, as the two were starters on the Bulldogs' 1998-99 squad that finished 26-7 and advnaced to the NCAA Division II semifinals.

The 2000-01 campaign will also be the first time Bulldog fans can get a look at junior guard Nathan Owen (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Southeast Missouri State University). Owen transferred to Truman before last season, but redshirted the season. He has missed practice time of late, due to a broken hand. Owen, who averaged 3.7 points in two years at Southeast Missouri State, hopes to return in time for the Nov. 21 season opener.

The 'Dogs have four other returning letterwinners from last season, including sophomores Jiri Mikl (Ostrava, Czech Republic/University Laboratory HS-Urbana, Ill.), Eric Wade (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit North) and junior Dan Mailath (Tulsa, Okla./Bishop Kelley). Mikl, who scored 31 points in 14 games last year, figures to see time this season at small forward, while Wade and Mailath will challenge for playing time inside. Wade averaged 1.5 rebounds last season, while Mailath averaged 1.2. Junior guard Peter Aydt (Elgin, Ill./St. Edwards) filled a valuable role off the bench last year, playing in 20 games.

Other returning squadmembers for the Bulldogs include junior forward A.J. Crum (Mt. Sterling, Ill./Univ. of Dubuque) and junior center Dusty Bruner (Galesburg, Ill.).

A class of talented newcomers is led by junior forward Scott Coykendall (Elmwood, Ill./Spoon River JC). Coykendall was a junior college all-America last year after earning Region XXIV Player of the Year honors while at Spoon River Junior College (Ill.).

Truman picked up two other transfers in the offseason. Sophomore center Adam Glosier (St. Charles, Mo./U.S. Military Academy), who started every game last year at Army, joins the Bulldogs after leading Army in rebounds, blocks and steals as a freshman. Junior guard Matt Martin (Kirksville, Mo./Moberly Area CC) may redshirt the season.

Three freshmen round out the group of new faces. Forward Matt Beran (Victor, Iowa/HLV Victor), an all-state performer in Iowa in basketball and football, will battle for playing time inside, while guards Aaron Mueller (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran North) and Eric Delaney (Marceline, Mo.) figure into the Bulldogs' plans at guard. Mueller will chiefly serve as point guard, while Delaney, a two-time all-state honoree in basketball, could play at either the No. 2 or 3 positions.

Truman has also added a junior varsity program this season, from which the varsity squad could add a few more players.

Truman in 1999-2000: The Bulldogs are coming off of their third straight winning seasn and fourth consecutive MIAA postseason tournament appearance. Truman ended the season with a 16-11 overall record, including a 9-9 mark in the MIAA.

Head Coach Jack Schrader begins his sixth season with the Bulldogs and has amassed a career 73-67 record while at Truman. He was named co-coach of the year in the MIAA in 1998-99 after leading the team to the conference postseason tournament title.

Men's Basketball Releases | Men's Basketball | Truman Athletics