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The Bulldog women’s basketball squad gets the 2009 season underway this weekend deep in the heart of Texas at the Texas Woman’s Pioneer Premiere.

Truman, under the direction of new head coach Michael Smith, enters the season following the program’s first winning campaign in six years in 2008. Leading the squad is two-time all-MIAA first-team member Georgia Mueller, who enters the 2009 season sixth on both Truman’s all-time scoring and rebounding charts. She needs just 43 more points to become only the fourth player in Truman history to reach 1,500 for her career and is 18 rebounds away from 700.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

Truman’s opening weekend will feature no radio broadcast from the Texas Woman’s Pioneer Premiere in Denton, Texas. Full live stats, video and audio will resume for the Bulldog women upon the squad’s first home game next Wednesday (Nov. 19) against Quincy (Ill.)

WHAT’S AT STAKE?:

- Truman is 12-24 in season openers, including a 102-20 season-opening win against Central Christian College (Mo.) last November.

- Head coach Michael Smith is looking for his first win as Bulldog head coach.

- The Bulldogs went 3-1 last season in neutral site contests, winning both regular-season neutral site games at the Hoop-n-Surf Classic before splitting a pair of decisions at the MIAA postseason tournament.

 2008-09 SEASON PREVIEW:

The full 2008-09 Season Preview is available in both this year’s Media Guide as well as this week’s full PDF edition of the Game Notes.

 SCOUTING CAMERON:

The Aggies, members of the Lone Star Conference, will face Truman in its season opener Saturday following a 4-23 campaign in 2007-08.

All three of the squad’s double-figure scorers from last season are gone, meaning new head coach Tom Webb will have to rely on both newcomers and returners with limited experience for this season.

Forward Megan Atkins (6-2, junior) is the team’s top returner, having averaged 6.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in 2007-08.

Webb is in his first season at Cameron.

SCOUTING TWU:

Also a member of the Lone Star Conference, Texas Woman’s University enters the 2008-09 season with seven freshmen on a roster that is looking to improve on a 12-15 season in 2007-08.

Senior forward Renee Renz (6-0, senior) averaged nearly a double-double last year for the Pioneers, as she posted 18.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest.

Three other starters return for head coach Beth Jillson, as Keshia Bolds, Tiandrea Dixon and Jessica Burr led the squad in assists last season and combined for nearly 25 points per game.

Jillson is in her second season at TWU.

UP NEXT:

The Bulldogs will return to Pershing Arena to kick off the home portion of the schedule on Wednesday, Nov. 19 against rival Quincy (Ill.) at 7:30 pm.

The team will then head to Kansas City on Saturday, Nov. 22 to face Rockhurst in a mid-afternoon affair.

Courtesy Truman State University