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Seniors Alex Henderson and Ethan Freeman became the next two members of Truman basketball’s 1,000 point club, becoming the first teammates in program history to do so on the same night, but the Bulldog men fell, 77-65, at Lincoln (Mo.) University on Wednesday night.

Henderson finished with a game-high 22 points, reaching his milestone late in the first half, while Freeman converted early in the second to hit 1,000.

The Bulldogs (7-18, 5-16 MIAA) host Central Missouri on Saturday afternoon at 3 pm in Pershing Arena on Senior Day in their 2010-2011 finale.

Lincoln (3-22, 1-20 MIAA) came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, putting the Bulldogs in a 26-7 hole through the game’s first ten minutes.

After the ’Dogs trailed 33-13, Henderson nailed his third three-pointer of the night to eclipse 1,000 points at the 7:41 mark of the half.

The Blue Tigers shot 51% from the floor to just 38% for Truman in the first 20 minutes and pulled down 11 offensive rebounds, taking a 43-27 lead into the break.

Truman turned the ball over ten times in the first half, leading to 18 Blue Tiger points.

Then, just 16 seconds into the second half, Freeman joined his fellow senior in the 1,000 point club, laying it in to become the 24th member of Truman’s premier club.

The Bulldogs slowly chipped away, closing to within 12 at 61-52 with 7:15 to play behind back-to-back three-point plays (an and-one and a conventional triple) by Henderson and Tom Norton.

But as Lincoln slowed the tempo, the Blue Tigers pushed the lead back to 15 with a little more than three minutes to play, holding on to deal the Bulldogs a road loss.

For the game, Truman shot 38% from the floor and took 30 of their 52 shots from downtown, making ten. LU countered at 47% and hit 8-of-14 three-pointers.

The Bulldogs shot 15-for-18 from the free throw line, hitting at an 83% clip.

Tom Norton also reached double-figures for the ’Dogs, finishing with 11 points behind three triples, while both Isaac Gardner and Vesko Filchev added nine.

Truman will recognize its seven seniors – Ethan Freeman, Brian Nwelue, Andrew James, Stefan Garrison, Alex Henderson, Mark Misiewicz and David Scott – prior to tipoff on Saturday afternoon.

Courtesy Truman State University