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Coming off back-to-back home conference wins, the Truman men’s basketball team will try to make it three straight when it heads to Topeka, Kan., this Saturday for a 3:30 pm showdown at Washburn University.
 
The Bulldogs, 4-6 overall and 2-1 in MIAA play, are searching for their first Div. II road win of the 2011-12 campaign, after most recently falling at Missouri Southern on Nov. 30 to open MIAA action.

Since then, however, Truman has handled business at home, dispatching Pittsburg State 66-57 before holding on against Southwest Baptist for an 80-79 win on Wednesday night.
 
Truman will face a Washburn squad that is fresh off a 61-45 win at No. 10 Fort Hays State on Wednesday night. The Ichabods are 6-3 overall and 1-1 in the MIAA.
 
The Bulldogs and Ichabods will be meeting for the 56th time, with WU holding a 38-17 edge dating back to the first ever meeting in 1956.

The Truman program has struggled in Topeka throughout the years, mustering just a 3-25 record on the road against the Ichabods that includes five straight Washburn wins in Lee Arena.

Truman’s last win in Topeka came on Jan. 28, 2006 – an 81-72 Bulldog victory behind 16 points from Derek Lindsey and 15 each by Andy Calmes and Grant Agbo.
 
The Ichabods have won eight of the last 12 overall meetings with the squads splitting games last season – each winning on their home court.
 
 
A Fast Check of the Regulars:

· Junior guard Tom Norton is the team’s leading scorer at 12.7 points per game, headlining three players in double-figures. He has made 24 triples this season and is 31-for-36 (86%) from the free throw line.

· Redshirt freshman Mike Carlson is averaging 12.3 points and a team-high 4.7 rebounds per game. He is just one of just two players to start all ten games. He is shooting 47% from the floor and has added six blocks.

· Freshman Seth Jackson, at 10.1 ppg overall, is the team’s leading scorer in conference games, averaging 11.7 ppg through the first three MIAA games.

· Junior transfer EJ Hicks is averaging 9.8 points per game and is shooting 49% from the floor. He ranks third on the team in assists (23) and fourth in rebounds (38) while co-leading the squad in steals (9).

· Sophomore guard Isaac Gardner has dropped 26 triples and is averaging 9.4 points per game. He is tied for second on the team in rebounding at 4.0 per game and is shooting 45% from the floor.

· Freshman center Patrick Burmester has started all ten games and is averaging 5.4 ppg and 3.9 rpg. He leads the squad with nine blocks and is shooting 57% from the floor.

· Freshmen Andrew Vander Zwaag (4.3 ppg, 9 three-pointers) and Tyler Anderson (1.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg) have missed just one game between them this season.

· Sophomore Marek Bush has played in all ten games, averaging nearly 17 minutes per game. He is the team-leader on the offensive glass (18) and is averaging 3.7 ppg.

Courtesy Truman State University