THIS WEEK IN UMSL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team closes out a three-game homestand on Thursday, hosting GLVC West Division co-leader Quincy before embarking on a three-game roadswing that begins Saturday at Illinois-Springfield.  

SIZING UP THE TRITONS
UMSL improved to 10-7 overall, including 5-4 in the GLVC with a 58-56 win over Drury last Saturday - marking the Tritons' first-ever win over the Panthers in program history. After shooting a combined 32.3 percent from the field in its previous three outings, UMSL connected at a 44.7 percent clip against Drury.

Senior Devonna Smith leads UMSL with averages of 13.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, while junior Hazaria Washington follows with 10.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Quincy is 9-8 overall, including 7-2 in the GLVC. The Hawks had a four-game win streak snapped with a 79-55 home loss to William Jewell in their last outing last Saturday. Lucy Cramsey averages 12.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

Illinois-Springfield enters a Thursday contest at Maryville with a 5-12 record, including a 2-7 league mark. The Prairie Stars snapped a seven-game losing skid with a 57-52 win over Rockhurst last Saturday in their last contest. Megan Bergerud averages 12.5 points to pace UIS.

THE SERIES
Quincy leads the all-time series 29-17 and has won 12 straight. The Hawks posted victories of 75-57 (1/26, St. Louis) and 80-57 (2/16, Quincy) last season.

UMSL has won all four previous meeting with Illinois-Springfield, including an 80-65 victory (1/28, St. Louis) and a 74-64 (2/18, Springfield) win last season.   

AN UMSL WIN OVER QUINCY WOULD...
.... give the Tritons 11 season wins and six GLVC wins - one more each than the previous two seasons and the most since the 2009-10 team finished 12-17 and 7-11 in the league.
...  snap an 11-game losing streak to the Hawks, marking the first win in the series since January 4, 2007 when UMSL defeated Quincy, 57-55, at home.
... improve the Tritons to 7-2 at home this season.

REBOUND THAT BASKETBALL
UMSL boasts two of the top rebounders in the GLVC in senior Devonna Smith (9.0 rpg)  and junior Hazaria Washington (7.8 rpg). Smith and Washington rank third and seventh in the league, respectively. Maryville's Abby Duethman and Southern Indiana's Anna Hackert top the GLVC with 9.6 rebounds per game.

ON THE OFFENSIVE
UMSL has grabbed 38.3 percent of its rebounds on the offensive end this season and are out-rebounding its opponents, 253-198, on the offensive end. The Tritons average 14.9 offensive boards per game, which ranks second in the GLVC, while senior Devonna Smith (3.7) and junior Hazaria Washington (3.5) rank two-three individually 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 65 assists and 35 steals. She ranks seventh 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 three assists to enter the career top 10 for that category. She has dished out 186 assists during her four-year career.

FRESHMAN ORIENTATION
Freshman Kelly Kunkel has seen increased playing time over the last seven games, averaging 18 minutes per contest. Prior to that, she was averaging just seven minutes per game. Kunkel earned her first start last Saturday against Drury and tied a season-best seven points to go with five rebounds.
 
TRITON TIDBITS
- UMSL held three straight opponents (McKendree, Rockhurst, William Jewell) to a combined 26.5 percent shooting.
- UMSL won four straight games earlier this season for the first time since 2005-06.
- Junior Hazaria Washington became the first player in program history to earn GLVC Player of the Week honors this season when she earned the weekly award Dec. 3.
- Head Coach Katie Vaughn was the first women's basketball head coach to record a victory (53-50 vs. Hannibal-LaGrange) in her debut since Shelly Ethridge did so in 1997.

UP NEXT
UMSL travels to Drury next Thursday and Missouri S&T next Saturday.