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THIS WEEK IN UMSL MEN'S BASKETBALL
The UMSL men's basketball team looks to snap a two-game losing streak - its first of the season, when it returns home to host No. 4 ranked Bellarmine on Thursday and the GLVC's newest league member McKendree on Saturday. Bellarmine represents the third straight ranked opponent for the Tritons who are coming off losses at No. 17 Southern Indiana (66-54) last Thursday and at No. 9 Kentucky Wesleyan (72-71) last Saturday.

SIZING UP THE TRITONS
UMSL slipped to 7-4 overall with its two losses last weekend, including 0-3 in the GLVC. The Tritons will be playing at home for the first time since a 92-77 win over Culver-Stockton on December 19. Senior Joshua McCoy leads the squad with 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. The Tritons also have four other players averaging double figures, including junior Darian Cartharn (13.3 ppg), senior Charlie Woods (11.7 ppg) and junior Michael Weber (10.2 ppg).

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Bellarmine stands at 11-0 overall and is 2-0 in the GLVC with home victories over Quincy (66-50) and Illinois-Springfield (81-52) last weekend. Vance Hall leads the Knights with 15.7 points per game, while Chris Dowe averages 14.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. Bellarmine leads the GLVC in scoring defense, allowing just 58.1 points per game.

McKendree enters a Thursday contest at Maryville with a 7-5 overall record, including a 1-1 GLVC mark. The Bearcats picked up their first league win with a 67-59 victory over Quincy last Saturday at home. Clinton Happe averages a team-best 18.4 points per game, while John Steppe adds 17.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

THE SERIES
UMSL stands at 10-17 all-time against Bellarmine. The Knights posted an 87-64 victory in Louisville, Ky., on January 13, 2011, in the teams' last meeting. The two squads have also played five overtime games in the series - four of which have come since 2000. Bellarmine owns a 3-2 record in those contests.  

UMSL is 11-5 all-time against McKendree. The two teams renewed their rivalry last year for the first time since the 1979-80 season.

LEADING THE NATION AT THE LINE
The Tritons enter this week leading NCAA Division II in free throw shooting percentage, connecting at an 81.4 percent clip. Senior Charlie Woods the nation individually at 97.4 percent (37-of-38) , while junior Michael Weber is seventh at 93.6 percent (44-of-47).

MORE ON THE FREEBIE SUCCESS
UMSL leads the GLVC in total free throws made (241) and attempts (296), averaging 27.0 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 Saturday's loss at Kentucky Wesleyan.

TRITON TIDBITS
- Junior Michael Weber is coming off a career-best 25 points last Saturday. He previously attained a career-best of 14 points on four different occasions.
- UMSL is 0-2 in overtime games this season.
- 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 335-204 (.622) 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 5-1 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 450-232 (.660) in 23 seasons. In two seasons with the Tritons, he is 42-24 (.636). 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 is back on the road next week, traveling to Rockhurst on Thursday (Jan. 17) and William Jewell on Saturday (Jan. 19).