Horner and Hall spearhead Bulldogs late-season surge

The Truman State University Bulldogs men’s basketball team has taken a sizable step forward this season after disappointing campaigns over the last two years. The University finished just above .500 last season and struggled to find consistency in late-game situations. They were ultimately defeated by the William Jewell College Cardinals in the first round of the GLVC tournament. This season however, the Bulldogs have emerged as one of the more competitive teams in the GLVC. Their resurgence has been fueled by a combination of experienced leadership and a more cohesive style of play, which now has them positioned as a serious contender heading into the postseason.

A big part of the team’s newfound success has been the standout Xavier Hall. The 6-foot guard from Shawnee Mission, Kansas, has elevated his game to become a true leader on both ends of the floor. Hall, who was named to the GLVC All-Defensive Team last year, has continued his stellar two-way play while also increasing his scoring output. So far this season, he is averaging 14 points per game while shooting over 50% from the field. His ability to control the tempo of the game and make big plays in the clutch has been on full display, including a 21-point performance against McKendree University and a buzzer beater jumper against Drury University to secure a crucial early-season conference win.

Hall also made University history as he moved into the program’s top ten all time in assists. He passed Chip Sodemann, who played with the team from 2002-2006, and he currently holds the 8th place spot. Despite this achievement, Hall said he doesn’t think about stats.

“I try not to (keep track) because it can get into your head and take you away from the game,” Hall said. “I definitely heard about it, but I try not to keep it on my mind and lose track of the game itself.”

With the postseason in sight, the Bulldogs are out to earn a tournament win, something they haven’t accomplished since 2022. That victory came over Rockhurst University in the first round of the GLVC tournament. 

Truman State also made the NCAA Division II tournament as a four-seed, but they were bounced in their first game by University of Missouri–St. Louis. However, with Hall leading the charge, the Bulldogs are looking to break that streak and make a serious run into March.

“At this point we need to focus on being tough,” Hall said. “It’s late in the season and everyone is tired and worn out. There are injuries here and there and we’ve got some guys missing right now, but it’s about who the tougher team is and that’s [who we want to be] in these last couple games and going into the tournament.”

Hall isn’t the only x-factor that the University has on their side. Guiding the team is head coach Jeff Horner, who has truly been a model of consistency since taking over the program. The Bulldogs have only had two losing seasons since his arrival during 2018 and have produced a 47-16 home record, a GLVC tournament championship and an NBA player in that timespan. 

A storied background in the sport of basketball has helped Horner to have success as the head coach at the University. His father was a high school basketball coach and his sister played for the Drake University Bulldogs. He played Division I basketball for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes where he was a standout guard for four seasons. After his collegiate career, he continued to play professionally overseas for teams in Belgium and France before coming back to the United States to coach.

“I think it just goes back to [going to the gym]. I’ve been going to the gym since I was probably about 3 or 4-years-old and anytime my dad went, I went with him,” Horner said. “I tried to play Pig with some of his players and when I got old enough I got into scrimmages as well. I have three sisters who also played a lot of sports … and being the son of a coach too is something I can’t give up. Basketball is just in our bloodlines.”

The Bulldogs have been excellent at home this season with a record of 7-3 and have won four of their last five games in Pershing Arena. That may be a good omen for the last leg of the season, which has the Bulldogs at home for the regular season finale against last season’s villain, William Jewell.

With the combination of Hall’s leadership and Horner’s coaching pedigree, the Bulldogs are getting hot at the right time. That’s the recipe to success for this team and Horner knows that there is more in store for his guys.

“We were picked to finish last to begin the year and we ended up making the conference tournament,” Horner said. “We lost some early this year that we shouldn’t have lost, but in the end that’s basketball. Our guys have turned the corner though, and they’ve done a really good job of coming back and fighting and improving. I hope they can see how close we are not only to the GLVC championship but to the NCAA tournament as well.”