KIRKSVILLE, Mo.–Both the Truman Men’s Basketball team and Drury came into Saturday’s contest with one loss and in first and fourth place in the GLVC point rankings, respectively. This game would be a crucial test on the road for Truman–where they lost by 19 a season ago. The Bulldogs passed this test with flying colors as they defeated Drury 74-53.
Cade McKnight led the way for Truman with 17 points, one of four Bulldogs in double figures. Masen Miller drained five threes and scored 16, Elijah Hazekamp scored 14 and Dylan Peeters scored ten to go along with 14 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. Turner Scott dished out five assists to give him 356 career assists, tying him with Jimmy Gooden for fifth place in Truman history.
The first half went back and forth with each team giving and taking back the lead. With Truman down 7-6, McKnight hit a three pointer to give Truman the lead at the 15:29 mark of the half, and then after a Drury bucket McKnight converted on a three point play to reestablish the edge. With Drury up 17-16, Hazekamp hit a three pointer at the 10:03 mark and from there the lead grew quickly. Hazekamp hit another three pointer, followed by a four point play by Miller and from there Truman was off and running. The lead swelled to double digits at 31-21 with 4:33 to go as McKnight hit another three pointer. Truman took their largest lead right before the half as Scott hit a bucket to give Truman an 18 point edge at 43-25, which they took into the locker room.
Peeters hit two foul shots early in the second half to push the lead to 20 at 45-25. Drury closed the gap to 16 but Truman answered with back to back threes from Hazekamp and Miller. In the half Truman would lead by as many as 26 as they rolled to victory. With the last basket of the game, Owen Coburn picked up his first career points as a Bulldog.
At the end of the game Ben Cooper got his first action of the 2020-21 season and Keaton Mitchell made his first appearance in a regular season game as a Bulldog.
The Bulldogs will be back home next week as they take on Missouri S&T Thursday night and then host Maryville Saturday afternoon.