KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - The Truman men’s basketball team shot just 7-for-33 from three-point range, and the Missouri Western Griffons used a 15-2 second-half run to push past the Bulldogs 74-70 on Saturday afternoon in Pershing Arena.
The Bulldogs (7-19, 4-14 MIAA) now sit one full game back of eighth-place in the MIAA standings with two games to go, while Missouri Western (8-16, 3-15 MIAA) keeps its season alive and is just one back of the Bulldogs for ninth. Truman will host Lincoln (Mo.) University on Wednesday (Feb. 22) night at 7:30 pm in Kirksville for its home finale. The squad’s lone senior, Vesko Filchev, will be honored prior to tipoff.
Truman led by seven – its biggest lead of the game – at 52-45 with 8:46 to play, before the Griffons embarked on a 15-2 blitz during the next three and a half minutes to take a 64-60 lead with 5:22 left on the clock.
The Bulldogs would eventually draw to within two on a pair of occasions in the final minute, but the Griffons – behind four free throws by TJ Johnson – iced the game at the charity stripe for the 74-70 final.
After the past two games of three-point heat, the Bulldogs struggled overall, hitting just 2-of-15 in the first half from distance before making 5-of-18 in the final 20 minutes. Truman did put three players in double-figures, led by MIAA Freshman of the Year-candidate Seth Jackson’s 19 on perfect 6-for-6 shooting. Jackson also co-led the squad with six rebounds and two steals.
Tom Norton added 13 points and Mike Carlson added 10 for the Bulldogs, who shot 40% overall from the floor, 21% from three-point range, and 13-of-21 (62%) from the free throw line.
Alex Tuluka-Mfumupembe led the Griffons off the bench with 17 points, while Lavonte Douglas added 14 points and nine rebounds.
Courtesy Truman State University
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