THIS WEEK IN UMSL MEN'S BASKETBALL
The UMSL men's basketball team travels to Rockhurst on Thursday before a Saturday meeting at William Jewell. The Tritons are 9-4 overall, including 2-3 in the GLVC and are looking to extend their current two-game win streak after recording home victories over then No. 4 ranked Bellarmine, 87-82 in double overtime, last Thursday, and McKendree, 78-54, last Saturday.

REVIEWING LAST WEEK
Senior Joshua McCoy exploded for 28 points in the win over Bellarmine, which included a stretch of 16 straight for the Tritons. He scored UMSL's final 11 points in regulation to help force the first extra period, before netting the Tritons' first five points of that first overtime. UMSL trailed 50-35 with 11:56 to play before rallying back.

Defense helped key the win over McKendree as the Tritons held the Bearcats to just six points during a stretch of 14 minutes and 20 seconds that spanned both halves. McKendree jumped out to a quick 20-9 lead, but a 15-3 run before half and an 18-3 run to open the second half helped UMSL pull away.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Rockhurst is 1-10 overall and 0-4 in the GLVC. The Hawks won their season opener, but have dropped 10 straight since, including an 87-52 decision at Lewis last Saturday. Rockhurst, which is being outscored by an average of 12.1 points per game, is led by Brandon McCann's 12.5 points per game.

William Jewell enters a Thursday home contest against Maryville with a 6-6 overall record, including a 2-2 mark in the GLVC. The Cardinals had a two-game win streak snapped in their last outing, a 77-69 loss at Wisconsin-Parkside, last Saturday. Dillon Deck averages 15.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

THE SERIES
Rockhurst leads the all-time series 20-15. The two teams have split the series in each of the last two seasons. UMSL won in St. Louis, 70-58 (Jan. 21), while Rockhurst won in Kansas City by a score of 70-63 (Feb. 2).

UMSL is 9-3 all-time against William Jewell, which includes two wins over the Cardinals last year. The Tritons posted a 69-68 win in St. Louis (Jan. 19) and a 67-62 win in Liberty, Mo. (Feb. 4).

SIZING UP THE TRITONS
Senior Joshua McCoy paces the squad with averages of 16.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Junior Darian Cartharn (14.1 ppg) and senior Charlie Woods (10.6 ppg) also average double figures.

LEADING THE NATION AT THE LINE
The Tritons lead NCAA Division II in free throw shooting percentage, connecting at an 81.8 percent clip. Senior Charlie Woods the nation individually at 97.4 percent (37-of-38), while junior Michael Weber is fourth at 94.1 percent (48-of-51).

MORE ON THE FREEBIE SUCCESS
UMSL leads the GLVC in total free throws made (275) and is second in attempts (335), averaging 25.8 attempts per game.  

Senior Charlie Woods has made 32 straight free throws dating back to the November 24th game against Central Oklahoma.

Woods tied an UMSL single game free throw percentage record by netting 10-of-10 free throws in a home win over Lincoln on December 1, while junior Michael Weber also tied the school's single game mark by connecting on all 11 attempts at the free throw line in last Saturday's loss at Kentucky Wesleyan.

THE REAL MCCOY
Senior Joshua McCoy is averaging 15.1 points per game during his two-year career at UMSL, having scored 602 career points. He has 81 three-pointers and is shooting 39.4 percent from beyond the arc, which currently ranks fourth on the career charts.

WOODS' BLOCK PARTY
Senior Charlie Woods has 44 career blocks, which ties for eighth on the career charts. He tallied 31 swats last season, which tied the sixth best single season effort.

TRITON TIDBITS
- Senior Isiah Nunn ranks fourth in the GLVC in field goal percentage (.620).
- Nunn is averaging 14.0 points and 2.0 blocks per game in the last two contests.
- Nunn and senior Charlie Woods have 13 blocks each this season.
- UMSL is 1-2 in overtime games this season with its win coming in a double overtime victory against Bellarmine on January 10. The Tritons also played in the GLVC's last double OT game, posting a 72-61 win at Maryville on February 17, 2011.
- The Tritons tied a school-record with 15 three-pointers in a 90-76 win over Central Oklahoma on November 24.
- UMSL scored 90 or more points in three of its first five games and has hit the 90-point mark in four games.
- Senior Charlie Woods was named the GLVC Men's Basketball Player of the Week on November 12.

HOME SWEET HOME
UMSL owns a 337-204 (.623) 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 and is off to a 7-1 start this season.

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 452-232 (.661) in 23 seasons. In two seasons with the Tritons, he is 43-24 (.647). 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 hosts Missouri S&T next Thursday in the start of a three-game homestand.