Feb.6, 2009 – The Truman men’s basketball team will host #6 Southwest Baptist University on Saturday afternoon in Pershing Arena. The game will kick-off a three-game home stand for the Bulldogs as they will try to repeat last year’s upset win over the Bearcats in Kirksville.
The Bulldogs have lost their last five games, four of which have been on the road. In their last time out, Brandon Griffin led the ‘Dogs with 10 point and nine rebounds but it wasn’t enough at the Washburn Ichabods handed Truman a 68-50 defeat.
Truman had a seven point lead with just under five minutes to play in the first half but the Ichabods went on an 8-0 run to close out the period and then got a burst midway through the second for the win. The ‘Dogs struggled from the free throw line, hitting just 10-of-21 attempts and were out rebounded 43-28. DeAndre Eggins led the Ichabods in scoring with 13 points.
The sixth-ranked Bearcats come into the match-up winners of their last two games. On Tuesday night, pre-season All-American Matt Rogers scored 27 points, with 14 coming from the free throw line in an 81-67 victory over Pittsburg State.
The Gorillas got as close as eight as the game was dominated by free throws. Pittsburg shot 27 free throws while the Bearcats were at the line 35 times.
In the first meeting between the two schools, Truman erased a 17-point deficit to tie the game in the second half but then went cold in a 70-57 loss in Bolivar on Dec. 31st. Ethan Freeman led Truman with 19 points while D’Ante Harris led the Bearcats with 22.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?:
The Bulldogs are 4 ½ games out of the final conference tournament spot with six games remaining on the schedule.
Southwest Baptist is a ½ game back of Central Missouri for the conference overall lead. The two teams split their regular season meetings, each winning on their own court. Based on league tie-break procedures, Central has the early edge via their victory at Washburn, while SBU lost in Topeka. The Ichabods are the third place team at present time.
The Bulldogs are 6-5 in Pershing Arena this season, while Southwest Baptist is 6-3 in road games. The Bearcats are 4-3 in league road games, while Truman is 1-5.
BULLDOGS BITES:
- Senior Banks Estridge is the only Bulldog to average double-figures in scoring. Estridge’s 10.4 points per game leads the team and he is also the leader with 57 assists and 33 steals. He has scored 219 points this year and 904 for his career. He is eighth in the conference in steals (1.57) and also is the team leader in free throw percentage at 79%.
- Sophomore Ethan Freeman is second in scoring at 9.5 points per game and has averaged 9.4 points per conference game. With 199 points, he has already matched his freshman scoring total. Freeman is second in assists with 41 and first in offensive rebounds with 37.
- Patrick Fandja is the team’s top rebounder at 5.6 boards per game. Fandja is ranked 15th in the MIAA rebounding lists.
- The Bulldogs have had 13 different starting lineups this season through 21 games. Only one combination (Fandja, Freeman, Estridge, Gabe Landau, Alex Henderson) has started four games together.
- In home conference games, Truman is averaging 60.5 points per game while allowing just 65.6. The Bulldogs are shooting 41% from the field and 36% from beyond the arc but they have struggled from the line, shooting just 62%.
- Fandja has led the Bulldogs in scoring during home league games at 13 points per game and 7.3 rebounds.
- Opponents are shooting 40% on the Pershing rims but are just 24-of-87 (27%) from long range.
- The Bulldogs are 5-0 when leading at the half, 5-4 when winning the battle of the boards.
- Truman is averaging 62.4 points per game and has a season-high 97 against Central Christian College. The Bulldogs are fourth in the conference in scoring defense, allowing 68.8 points per game.
- Three Bulldogs have topped 20 points in a game this season. Patrick Fandja holds the season-high with 23 points against Missouri Western last time out. Fandja also had 22 against Washburn. Banks Estridge’s 21 against UNO and Northwest is third. Ethan Freeman scored 20 against William Woods.
- Fandja and Brandon Griffin have recorded the only double-doubles this season. Fandja had 23 and 11 against Missouri Western and 22 and 11 against Washburn on Dec. 13th while Griffin scored 19 and had 12 rebounds against Central Christian College on Nov. 20th.
SCOUTING SOUTHWEST BAPTIST:
The Bearcats won their first 12 games and peaked as high as number three in the National Basketball Coaches Association poll. Since Jan. 7th, SBU is 5-3 with all three losses coming on the road. The two games they did win on the road were a one-point win at Missouri Western and a seven-point victory at Missouri Southern.
Southwest Baptist leads the conference in scoring and scoring margin but is last in scoring defense. The Bearcats are third in Division II, averaging 91.2 points per game and first in three-pointers made at 11.6 per contest. They are also top 10 in the national statistics in assists (20.9/g-3rd), assist/turnover ratio (1.42/g-9th) and blocks (5.5/g-9th). West Liberty State leads all of Division II, scoring 103.8 points per game.
Matt Rogers has been one of the most dominate players in the MIAA this season. He holds the single-game high in points scored in the league this year with 35 against Central Missouri and 33 against Park (Mo.). He is averaging 19.4 points per game, 8.1 rebounds (2nd), shooting 54% from the field (3rd) and averages 3.85 blocks (1st-MIAA, 2nd-NCAA) per game.
Two other Bearcats average double-figures in scoring, D’Ante Harris (15.5) and Nick Kovacevich (13.1).
SBU was ranked third in the latest NCAA South Central regional poll behind Central Missouri and Central Oklahoma.
COACHES:
Jack Schrader is in his 14th season as head coach of the Bulldogs. He has an overall record of 153-226. Schrader has guided two Bulldog team to the NCAA Division II tournament. The 1998-99 team finished their season at the NCAA Final Four, while the 2005-06 team was a participant in the NCAA South Central regional.
Truman has only had three men’s basketball coaches since 1946, Boyd King (1946-1971), Willard Sims (1971-1995) and Schrader (1996-present). Schrader has twice been named the MIAA and NABC South Central region Coach of the Year.
Coach Schrader picked up his 150th victory of his career as Bulldog head coach in a 97-71 win over Central Christian on Nov. 20th. He is currently third all-time among Truman coaches trailing Boyd King (379 wins) and Williard Sims (310 wins).
Jeff Guiot has turned the Bearcats into a national powerhouse. Guiot is in his fifth season in Bolivar and has already comprised a record of 98-41. In his 14th season overall as a head coach, Guiot is 316-134.
SERIES:
This is the 41st meeting between Truman and Southwest Baptist with the Bearcats holding a 23-17 advantage in previous games played. The Bearcats have won the last two games played (both in Bolivar) which stopped a three-game Truman winning streak.
Truman’s has won the last two games played in Kirksville, winning in 2008 78-58 and in 2007 60-53. SBU’s last victory in Pershing Arena came on Feb. 25, 2006 when they clinched that year’s regular season conference championship 82-72.
UP NEXT:
The Bulldogs will have an extra day of rest after playing three games in the last seven days the previous week. Truman will next be in action on Thursday night in Pershing Arena when they host Fort Hays State at 7:00 p.m.
The Tigers defeated the Bulldogs 69-47 back on Jan. 3rd in Hays and will be at home hosting Washburn on Saturday night.