Feb.13, 2009 – Forty-three and a half hours after nearly knocking off Fort Hays State, the Truman men’s basketball team returns to the court on Saturday afternoon to host the University of Nebraska-Omaha. It will be the Mavericks first trip to Kirksville as a member of the MIAA and first since 1992.
Truman trailed by 13 at half on Thursday night against Fort Hays State and Coach Jack Schrader changed up the lineup to start the second and got the defensive effort the team needed. The Bulldogs limited the Tigers to just seven points in the first 10 minutes of the half and tied the game on a basket by Ethan Freeman with 10:27 left to play.
The Tigers regained the lead only to watch the Bulldogs chip back and have the ball with a chance to tie in the final possession. Matt Taylor’s three-point attempt fell short and Fort Hays escaped Pershing Arena with a 59-56 victory. Patrick Fandja led Truman with 19 points before fouling out with 2:42 left to play.
Nebraska-Omaha is fighting for their NCAA postseason lives after dropping an 83-77 decision to Missouri Western at home on Wednesday night. The Mavericks were eighth in the latest NCAA South Central Region poll.
The Griffons led by 11 at half and 13 points with 16:18 left to play only to watch UNO cut it to two points just four minutes later. The Mavericks coughed up the basketball three times in the final two minutes as Missouri Western held on for the win. Andrew Bridger had four three-pointers for UNO and led the team in scoring with 20 points. UNO had 10 threes in the game and are the top three-point shooting team in the MIAA (43.1%).
The Mavericks Michael Jenkins had the hot hand in the teams last meeting in Omaha on Jan. 78th. Jenkins scored 29 points with four three-pointers and 13-of-14 made free throws as UNO defeated the Bulldogs 89-78. Banks Estridge led Truman with 21 points while Brian Nwelue and Ethan Freeman collected 15 apiece.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?:
The Bulldogs are looking to even their home record this season. Truman is 6-7 in Pershing Arena and a victory would move the ‘Dogs to .500 with just one home game left.
Truman will also be looking to put up some points against the worst scoring defense in the MIAA. The Mavericks give up on average 75.5 points per game while Truman is 6-4 in games when they score over 60 points.
The Bulldogs have been mathematically eliminated from a postseason tournament berth.
UNO can take a step closer to clinching their conference tournament spot with a victory. The Mavericks are 8-7 in the MIAA and sit in sixth place, a half game ahead of Missouri Western in seventh and two clear of Missouri Southern for eighth.
The Mavericks are looking to improve their NCAA tournament resume with a victory. UNO was eighth in the latest NCAA South Central regional poll, with the top eight teams receiving berths into the national tournament. They are the fourth conference school in the rankings (Central Mo., Southwest Baptist, Fort Hays State) but are sixth in the league standings.
BULLDOGS BITES:
- Senior Banks Estridge is the only Bulldog to average double-figures in scoring. Estridge’s 10.3 points per game leads the team and he is also the leader with 66 assists and 37 steals. He has scored 237 points this year and 924 for his career. He is ninth in the conference in steals (1.61) and also is the team leader in free throw percentage at 77%.
- Sophomore Ethan Freeman is second in scoring at 9.7 points per game and first in rebounding at 5.6 per contest. Freeman has already eclipsed his freshman point total by scoring 224 this year. He is second in assists with 46 and has the team lead in offensive rebounds with 40.
- The group of Freeman, Estridge, Vesko Filchev, Brian Nwelue and Brandon Griffon became the first starting group to start three games in a row on Thursday night. The Bulldogs have had 13 different starting lineups this season through 22 games. Only one combination (Fandja, Freeman, Estridge, Gabe Landau, Alex Henderson) has started four games together.
- In home conference games, Truman is averaging 59.5 points per game while allowing 66.6 The Bulldogs are shooting 41% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc but they have struggled from the line, shooting just 63%.
- Fandja has led the Bulldogs in scoring during home league games at 13.4 points per game and 6.3 rebounds.
- Opponents are shooting 42% on the Pershing rims 32% from outside and 67% at the free throw line.
- The Bulldogs are 5-0 when leading at the half and 6-4 with scoring over 60 points per game.
- Truman is averaging 61.9 points per game and has a season-high 97 against Central Christian College. The Bulldogs are fourth in the conference in scoring defense, allowing 68.9 points per game.
- Three Bulldogs have topped 20 points in a game this season. Patrick Fandja holds the season-high with 23 points against Missouri Western last time out. Fandja also had 22 against Washburn. Banks Estridge’s 21 against UNO and Northwest is third. Ethan Freeman scored 20 against William Woods.
- Fandja and Brandon Griffin have recorded the only double-doubles this season. Fandja had 23 and 11 against Missouri Western and 22 and 11 against Washburn on Dec. 13th while Griffin scored 19 and had 12 rebounds against Central Christian College on Nov. 20th.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA-OMAHA:
The Mavericks are just 5-5 in their last 10 games and have lost their last two outings, both at home. They are second in the MIAA in scoring offense, averaging 82.5 points per game but last in scoring defense at 75.5 points allowed per contest. UNO is second in both free throw shooting (71%) and field goal percentage (49%) and first in three-point field goal percentage (43%) while averaging 7.95 three-pointer per game.
Michael Jenkins is the team’s leading scorer and second in the conference with a 17.5 points per game mark. Jenkins shoots 41% from beyond the arc and 50% overall. The Maverick senior is also an 81% free throw shooter.
Mitch Albers averages 16.3 points per game and 18.1 points in MIAA games this season. Albers is second in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (48%). In fact, three UNO players are in the top six in the conference three-point shooting percentage (Albers, Andrew Bridger and Jenkins).
COACHES:
Jack Schrader is in his 14th season as head coach of the Bulldogs. He has an overall record of 153-228. Schrader has guided two Bulldog team to the NCAA Division II tournament. The 1998-99 team finished their season at the NCAA Final Four, while the 2005-06 team was a participant in the NCAA South Central regional.
Truman has only had three men’s basketball coaches since 1946, Boyd King (1946-1971), Willard Sims (1971-1995) and Schrader (1996-present). Schrader has twice been named the MIAA and NABC South Central region Coach of the Year.
Coach Schrader picked up his 150th victory of his career as Bulldog head coach in a 97-71 win over Central Christian on Nov. 20th. He is currently third all-time among Truman coaches trailing Boyd King (379 wins) and Williard Sims (310 wins).
Derrin Hansen is in his fourth season as head coach of Nebraska-Omaha. He guided the Mavericks to a 25-7 and an NCAA tournament berth last year as the school was a member of the North Central Conference. Hansen is 66-47 during his tenure at UNO.
SERIES:
This is the 16th meeting between Nebraska-Omaha and Truman on the basketball court and only second conference game. The Bulldogs lead the overall series with the Mavericks 9-6.
Truman is 4-1 against UNO in games played in Kirksville but the last game in Pershing was back on Dec. 5, 1992 (a 93-88 Truman win).
The only victory for the Mavericks in Kirksville was back on Dec. 1, 1965. UNO defeated Boyd King’s Bulldogs 65-54.
UP NEXT:
The Bulldogs will play their final two road games next week as they first travel to Maryville and pay a visit to Northwest Missouri. The Bearcats defeated the Bulldogs 72-63 back on Jan. 10th in Pershing Arena.
Following Northwest, Truman will end their road season with a trip to St. Joseph and Missouri Western on Saturday night. The Bulldog defeated the Griffons on a buzzer-beater from Patrick Fandja 69-67 on Jan. 14th.