Woodley wants relevance

Matt Woodley, men's basketball head coach, is inheriting a program that has won just 23 games in the past four seasons and has not been to an MIAA tournament in four years.

At his official press conference last Friday, Woodley said he does not think a program with Truman's history deserves those kinds of results. He said he wants to build a winning program upon the team's passion, integrity and enthusiasm.

"I've been around a lot of good basketball teams," Woodley said.  "A lot of championship teams, and the one thing that has always been a common thread has been great, great unselfishness and team chemistry. That is the thing we're going to stress here from day one."

Woodley said defense is the best way for the team to become relevant again in the MIAA. He will run "pack style" defense, invented by former Wisconsin head coach Dick Bennett. This defense focuses on denying the offense the chance to penetrate the lane and encourages defenders to contest shots from the perimeter. Rebounding should continue to be emphasized in Woodley's system just as it was under former head coach Jack Schrader.

"You'll see a very hard-nosed defensive team," Woodley said. "I think any championship team is very sound, defensively. Offensively, it's based on personnel, depending on the type of style and the type of players we get.  I'd like to play as fast as anybody, but you have to have really good players to do that. As time goes on we'd like to score, and play fast and play a motion offense, but until then we get good enough players to compete with Fort Hays [State University], to compete with Missouri Southern [State University], to compete with Washburn [University] you have to be on par, if not have better players, to play at their pace."

The team had their first workout under Woodley last Thursday.  Woodley said he was pleasantly surprised with the talent level of the current roster, especially the shooting ability of some of the guards.  Truman finished fourth in the MIAA in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and made 3-pointers last season.

"Coach Woodley is a very high intensity guy," freshman guard Pat Sodemann said. "He kind of expects you to do things the right way. You know, he made it very clear to us in our first couple meetings that if you don't kind of do things his way, if you don't bring your A–game every day it's not going to be a very fun season."

National signing day for basketball is in April. The Bulldogs have more available scholarships than they have had in several years and also have seven roster spots that will be vacated by graduating seniors.

Woodley said he is not concerned that he is entering the recruiting process late. He thinks some of the best players available for signing do not make a commitment until May because they spend April trying to find their way into a Div. I program. He also said the quality of Truman academics does not hurt  his ability to attract high-level athletes.

"I look at it as an advantage," Woodley said.  "You get the kind of kids that can academically succeed with the mission of our university.  To me those are the kind of kids I want to coach and recruit. So to me it's an advantage, not so much a difficulty."

Woodley has been an assistant at different Div. I men's basketball programs, most notably Washington State University. From 2006 to 2009, Woodley was a Cougar assistant and made trips to the National Invitation Tournament and the NCAA Div. I Tournament. During his undergraduate years he played basketball for Div. I Drake University [Iowa] of the Missouri Valley Conference.

Last season, Woodley guided the Waukee High School [Iowa] boys' basketball team to the Iowa state tournament.

"Matt is maybe the most competitive person I've ever met," said John Duea, Waukee High School athletic director. "He's a fierce competitor. Doesn't like to lose. I think he really carries that over to his team and they emulate that style of play."