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SETTING THE SCENE
The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team returns to the court on Saturday, hosting Lincoln University. The Tritons have been idle since last Saturday when they posted a 90-76 victory over Central Oklahoma in the Drury Classic.
This is the first of two meetings with the Blue Tigers. UMSL will make the return trip on Monday, Dec. 17. That will be the lone road contest for the Tritons in a four-game month of December.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Lincoln stands at 1-6 on the season and has lost four straight, including an 85-67 decision at Maryville on Monday. The Blue Tigers have six games against GLVC foes on their schedule, including a home and away series each with Maryville and McKendree. Cedric Ridle paces Lincoln with 17.3 points. 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game, while Charles Cole adds 14.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
THE SERIES
UMSL is 24-11 all-time against Lincoln. The two teams are meeting for the first time since February 16, 2005, when the Tritons posted a 104-80 victory at home.
AN UMSL WIN AGAINST LINCOLN WOULD...
... be the 12th straight non-conference home victory, dating back to 2010-11.
... keep the Tritons perfect at home this season with a 4-0 record.
... move the Tritons to 25-11 all-time against the Blue Tigers.
... give head coach Steve Tappmeyer his 40th victory at UMSL.
SIZING UP THE TRITONS
UMSL stands at 4-1 on the season after splitting its games at last weekend's Drury Classic. The Tritons were dealt their first setback of the season in a 77-74 double overtime loss to Arkansas Tech on Friday. Senior Joshua McCoy leads four players in double figures with 18.8 points per game and also adds team-bests of 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
For the third straight week, UMSL has received votes in the NABC Division II Poll. Six GLVC teams were recognized in this week's poll, which was announced on Tuesday. Four squads – No. 5 Bellarmine, No. 8 Southern Indiana, No. 19 Kentucky Wesleyan, and No. 24 Indianapolis – are ranked in the top 25, while Drury and UMSL are receiving votes outside the national poll.
OFFENSIVE PROWESS
UMSL's 86.0 points per game ranks third in the GLVC in scoring offense. The Tritons have hit the 90-point plateau in three of five games this season.
THE THREE BALL
UMSL is coming off a school record 15 three-pointers in its win over Central Oklahoma. The Tritons lead the GLVC with 47 three-pointers - an average of 9.40 per game. Senior Joshua McCoy owns 14 long balls, while junior Darian Cartharn has connected for 12 treys.
MAKING THE FREE ONES
The Tritons are taking advantage of getting to the free throw line, connecting at a 79.5 percent mark, which ranks second in the GLVC. Three players rank in the top 10 in the league, including junior Michael Weber (21-of-22, .955) and senior Charlie Woods (13-of-14, .929) and senior Joshua McCoy (24-of-26, .923).
UMSL leads the GLVC in total free throws made (105) and attempts (132), averaging 26.4 attempts per game over the Tritons' five-game effort so far.
HOME SWEET HOME
UMSL owns a 333-203 (.621) record in its home facility - the Mark Twain Building. The arena opened in the fall of 1971 and during the 1971-72 season, the Tritons posted a 13-0 record on their new home court. UMSL posted a 12-1 on its home floor last season.
HOME SWEET HOME, PART II
UMSL will have plenty of help from its home crowd as they try to build off one off the most successful seasons in program history as the Tritons play 14 of their 2012-13 26-game slate in the friendly confines of the Mark Twain Building. The Tritons are playing six of their first nine games at home.
HEAD COACH STEVE TAPPMEYER
Steve Tappmeyer is in his third season as the head men's basketball coach at UMSL and owns a career coaching mark of 447-229 (.661) in 23 seasons. In two seasons with the Tritons, he is 39-21 (.650). Prior to his appointment at UMSL, Tappmeyer coached 21 seasons (1989-2009) at Northwest Missouri State with an overall record of 408-208 (.662). The all-time winningest coach in program history, he directed the Bearcats to 10 NCAA Tournament berths and three regular season and four conference tournament championships. Tappmeyer is the sixth head men's basketball coach in UMSL program history.
MORE ON TAPPMEYER'S SUCCESS
Steve Tappmeyer entered the 2012-13 season ranked 22nd among active Division II coaches in victories and 31st in winning percentage.
UP NEXT
UMSL will open Great Lakes Valley Conference play on Wednesday, playing host to Maryville at 7:30 p.m.
