Box Score

 

Feb. 12, 2009 – A late three-point attempt by Matt Taylor fell short as the Truman men’s basketball team nearly upset Fort Hays State on Thursday night in Pershing.  The Tigers escaped Kirksville with a 59-56 victory to win their eighth straight game.

 

The Bulldogs (6-17/1-15 MIAA) trailed by as many as 13 late in the first half but stymied the Tigers (16-6/10-15 MIAA) in the second, holding Fort Hays to just 19 second half points.

 

Truman took a 47-46 lead when Ethan Freeman scored at the 10:27 mark to cap off a 20-7 start to the half.

 

The Tigers retook the lead on a pair of free throws by Terry Jefferies and extended the margin back out to seven with just 2:42 left.

 

Freeman scored to pull Truman back to within five and after four straight chances on the offensive end, Freeman scored again with 1:01 left to make it a one possession game.

 

Tyrone Evans missed on a rushed three-point attempt as the shot clock expired to give Truman the ball back.

 

Banks Estridge missed a jumper and Truman fouled Evans with eight seconds left.

 

Evans missed the front end of a one and one and Taylor ended up with the basketball.  His shot at the top of the arc fell short and Fort Hays wrapped up their eighth straight win.

 

Patrick Fandja led Truman with 19 points before fouling out with 2:42 left to play.  Fandja was 6-of-9 from the field and 7-of-9 from the line.  However, Truman struggled at the charity stripe as they were just 9-of-16 for the game.

 

Jefferies led the Tigers with 13 points and Tim Peintner and Corbin Kuntzsch added 11 and 10 respectively.

 

The Bulldogs will have a quick turnaround as they will host Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.