Box Score

 

Feb. 28, 2009

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Truman women’s basketball team shot 60% from the field and hit 7-of-11 three-pointers in an 83-58 senior day home win against the University of Central Missouri Jennies. The Bulldogs saw five players finish in double-figures, led by senior Georgia Mueller’s 23.

 

The Bulldogs (8-19, 5-15 MIAA) used a 30-5 run that elapsed nearly 12 minutes to turn a two-point deficit into a 23-point lead midway through the second half. After UCM’s Renae Shippy converted a feed from Kara Fleming to put the Jennies (17-10, 12-8 MIAA) ahead 34-32 with 2:52 to play in the first half, the Bulldogs closed the half on a 12-2 run to take a 42-36 lead into the break.

 

Truman maintained momentum out of halftime and pushed the lead to 62-39 on a Malorie Kiecker jumper with 11:15 remaining. The Bulldogs would push the lead to as much as 25 twice, with the exclamation point coming on a Sarah Gordon three-pointer with 22 seconds left to reach the final tally.

 

Mueller finished with 23 points and nine rebounds to wrap up her Truman career with 1,897 points (2nd all-time) and 876 rebounds (3rd all-time). She added four assists and her 195th career block to officially enter the record book as the program’s top shot blocker – nearly 90 ahead of Jennifer Perkins’ second-place total of 107.

 

Junior Laura Joya scored 16 points and dished out seven assists, while junior Julie Guinn tallied 13 points and five assists of her own. Kiecker came off the bench to tack on 11, and senior Sarah Gordon hit all four field goals, including a three-pointer and a free throw, to tie her career-best 10 points. The third Bulldog senior, Eli Medina, finished with four points and a career-high four steals.

 

For the game, Truman shot 29-of-48 (60.4%) from the field and out-rebounded the Jennies 35-21. Defensively, the Bulldogs held UCM to a 40.4% clip from the field and forced 16 Jennie turnovers.

 

The 25-point win marked the largest margin of victory by the Bulldogs against UCM since a 91-61 Truman win in Kirksville on Jan. 20, 1999.

 

Rebecca Roberts finished with a team-high 13 points for Central Missouri, and Katy Davenport added 12.

 

Saturday’s game marked the end of the season for the Truman, as the Bulldogs can at-best finish in a four-way tie for eighth place in the MIAA. However, the Bulldogs do not own the tie-breaker that would allow them to reach next week’s conference tournament in Kansas City. The ’Dogs closed the 2009 regular season winning four of their final six games, including three of the last four in Pershing Arena.