ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Griffon Women's Basketball will play its first home game of the season at the MWSU Fieldhouse on Wednesday, as they welcome Truman State for an early season non-conference matchup inside the Looney Complex.

FILL UP THE FIELDHOUSE
Tickets are available on the "Tickets" tab, or can be purchased at the box office pre-game. Students can claim their free ticket on the website and are encouraged to show up and be loud. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

HOW TO KEEP UP WITH THE GRIFFONS
Griffon fans wishing to watch or listen to the game can tune in with "The Voice of the Griffons" Tommy Rezac and Paul Smith with the color commentary on the MIAA Network and KFEQ Radio. 

HIGH-FLYING GRIFFONS
The Griffons (2-2) have faced stout competition to open the season, but that hasn't stopped MWSU from putting up big-time numbers. Connie Clarke leads the Griffons, scoring 19 points a game and snatching nine rebounds a game, both the fourth most in the MIAA.  Brionna Budgetts, who scored a career-high 33 points last time MWSU took the floor against Augustana, is right behind Clarke at ninth in the conference with 14.8 points per game.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
The Griffons have gotten serious production from true freshman Cleao Murray early on this season. Murray is averaging 9.8 points per game while shooting 36% on 28 attempts from beyond the arc. Although she hasn't cracked the starting lineup, Murray has the fourth-most minutes on the team so far, and has the most minutes of any non-starter. Her six steals is also tied for second on the team. 

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Truman State (1-1) is coming off a split weekend in the GLVC/G-MAC challenge. The Bulldogs last game saw them beat Ursuline, 67-53, after falling to Hillsdale College in an exciting 98-90 loss.

Hannah Belanger leads the Bulldogs in scoring, averaging an impressive 24.5 points a game — the second-best average in the GLVC. She is shooting 40% from three and 47% from the field overall, while also pulling down 5.5 rebounds a game. 

Belanger returns from last season's team that finished 18-11 along with Ellie Weltha. The dynamic duo averaged 33.2 points last season, along with 14 rebounds. This season, Weltha is averaging 11 points per game and 8.5 rebounds.

The Bulldogs are led by fourth-year Head Coach Theo Dean, who is 56-25 during his time leading TSU. Dean's arc with the Truman State dates back to 2010 when he started as a student manager and a graduate assistant. He rose through the ranks as full-time assistant and recruiting coordinator and was named interim head coach in 2019. Aftr a 9-3 start to the 2019-20 season, Dean was given the nod as the head honcho for Truman State.

NOTABLES

• Two Griffons have cracked the top 10 for points in single game in the last three games out, with Clarke and Budgetts finding themselves in the record books for their performances.
• Missouri Western has fared well in home-openers as of late, winning the last three dating back to the 2019-20 season. 
• Through four games, the Griffons are averaging 77.5 points per game, and are also giving up 77.5 points per game.