THIS WEEK IN UMSL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team begins a three-game homestand Thursday, hosting Missouri S&T, before entertaining Drury on Saturday. The Tritons are currently riding a four-game win streak - the program's longest since the 2005-06 season - and sit in a tie for second place in the GLVC West Division standings with Maryville with 4-3 league records. Missouri S&T and Quincy sit in a tie for first, each with a 6-1 conference mark.

SIZING UP THE TRITONS
UMSL improved its overall record to 9-6 with road victories at Rockhurst (70-46) and William Jewell (46-41) last weekend. The Tritons shot a combined 31.5 percent from the field, but held their opponents to combined 26.5 percent shooting.

Senior Devonna Smith recorded back-to-back doubles in the wins, finishing with 20 points and 14 rebounds at Rockhurst, before a 10-point, 12-rebound effort at William Jewell.

Smith leads UMSL with averages of 13.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, while junior Hazaria Washington follows with 11.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Missouri S&T has won two straight and five of its last six games. The Lady Miners (10-5, 6-1 GLVC) are coming off a 76-63 home win over Illinois-Springfield last Saturday. Hailee Parks averages 16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, but owns a 17.1 points per game average in GLVC games. As a team, Missouri S&T shoots 44.8 percent from the field, which ranks second in the league.

Drury enters a Thursday game at Maryville with an 8-7 record, including a 2-5 GLVC mark. The Panthers are coming off a 68-62 home loss to Quincy last Saturday. Bethanie Funderburk averages 16.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.

THE SERIES
Missouri S&T leads the all-time series with UMSL, 35-16, and has won five straight meetings. The Lady Miners posted wins of 67-54 (Dec. 3, 2011 - Rolla, Mo.) and 67-55 (Feb. 11, 2012 - St. Louis, Mo.) last season.  The Tritons' last win came in the first meeting between the teams during the 2009-10 season in Rolla, with UMSL earning an 83-75 win.

Drury has won all 17 previous meetings against UMSL. The Panthers won by scores of 100-69 (Dec. 1, 2011 - Springfield, Mo.) and 79-65 (Feb. 13, 2012 - St. Louis, Mo.). 

AN UMSL WIN OVER MISSOURI S&T WOULD...
... be the Tritons fifth straight win - marking the first five-game win streak since the 2005-06 team began the season 5-0.
... be the first GLVC give-game win streak for the Tritons since 1998-99 (done twice by that squad).
... equal last year's season win totals (10) and GLVC wins total (5).
... snap a five game losing streak to Missouri S&T.
... improve the Tritons to 6-1 at home this season.

REBOUND THAT BASKETBALL
UMSL boasts two of the top rebounders in the GLVC in senior Devonna Smith (9.1 rpg)  and junior Hazaria Washington (8.3 rpg). Smith and Washington rank second and fourth in the league, respectively. Maryville's Abby Duethman's 9.6 rebounds per game average tops the GLVC.

ON THE OFFENSIVE
Of its 542 rebounds this season, 231 have come on the offensive end (39.2 percent), which leads the GLVC (15.4 per game). Senior Devonna Smith (4.0) and junior Hazaria Washington (3.7) rank one-two in that category.

DOUBLE VISION
Senior Devonna Smith and junior Hazaria Washington each have four double-doubles this season. Smith's include 10 points, 12 rebounds at William Jewell (1/19); 20 points, 14 rebounds at Rockhurst (1/17); 29 points, 15 rebounds vs. Culver-Stockton (12/19); and 21 points, 12 rebounds at Lincoln (12/1).

Washington's include 16 points, 10 rebounds vs. Bellarmine (1/10); 17 points, 11 rebounds vs. Missouri Baptist (11/27); 17 points, 10 rebounds at Christian Brothers (11/20) and 12 points, 12 rebounds vs. Hannibal-LaGrange (11/12).

DISHIN' AND STEALIN'
Junior Kelly McGovern paces the squad with 57 assists and 32 steals. She is tied for eighth in the GLVC in assists per game (3.8) and sixth in steals per game (2.1).

STEPPING UP AS A SENIOR
Senior Angela Johnson is averaging 9.9 points per game this season, nearly doubling last year's average of 5.9 points per game.
 
NEARING THE TOP 10
Senior Deaven Omohundro needs four assists to enter the career top 10 for that category. She has dished out 185 assists during her four-year career.