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SETTING THE SCENE
The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team continues a five-game homestand on Saturday, while entertaining crosstown rival Maryville in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener.

UMSL IN GLVC OPENERS
UMSL is 5-12 in GLVC openers and opens the conference slate by hosting Maryville for the second straight year. The Saints defeated the Tritons, 72-65, in overtime in last year's league lid-lifter, snapping a string of three-straight leauge opening wins by UMSL. This marks just third time in the last eight years that the Tritons are tipping off the GLVC schedule at home.

THE SERIES
UMSL is 13-2 against Maryville with both losses coming last season. In addition to its GLVC-opener win at UMSL, the Saints also topped the Tritons, 74-65, on their homecourt in the GLVC finale.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Maryville is 4-2 overall and snapped a two-game losing streak on Monday night with a 75-49 victory over Robert Morris-Springfield. The Saints, picked to finish second in the GLVC West Division Preseason Coaches Poll, are led by Asa Toney's 13.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Toney was an honorable mention All-America selection last season. The Saints are shooting 52.6 percent from the field, which ranks fifth in the GLVC, and are holding opponents to 64.5 points per game, which is second in the league.

SIZING UP THE TRITONS
UMSL has won three straight and is 5-2 overall. The Tritons are coming off victories over Hannibal-LaGrange (79-58) and Missouri Valley (75-65) last weekend. Five players are averaging double figures, led by junior Aareon Smith's 15.0 points per game. Smith also tops the squad with 7.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. Senior Michael Weber follows with 12.7 points and 3.0 assists per game and leads the squad with 21 three-pointers.  

AN UMSL WIN AGAINST MARYVILLE WOULD...
... keep the Tritons perfect at home this season with a 5-0 record.
... snap a two-game losing streak to the Saints.
... improve the Tritons to 6-12 in GLVC openers, including 3-5 at home.
... be the seventh straight home victory dating back to last season.

LAST TIME OUT
Senior Michael Weber scored a career-high 27 points, connecting on 7-of-9 three-pointers to lead the Tritons to a 75-65 win over Missouri Valley on Sunday. UMSL owned a 38-30 halftime lead, but saw the Vikings open the second half with a 21-7 run, taking a four-point lead midway through the second half. Weber then followed with three three-pointers and went 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the final 49 seconds to help seal the win.

HOME SWEET HOME
UMSL owns a 345-207 (.625) 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 was 11-4 on its home floor last season and is off to a 4-0 start at home this season.

THE THREE BALL
UMSL is connecting at a 42.3 percent mark from long range, which ranks second in the GLVC and 25th in NCAA Division II. The Tritons have drained 58 three-pointers, an average of 8.3 per game, which is fourth in the league.

Senior Michael Weber has a team-best 21 long balls - already at the halfway point of what he made last season (42). He is shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc, tied for fifth in the GLVC.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
UMSL ranks fifth in the GLVC and 17th in NCAA Division II in assists/turnover margin with a ratio of 1.63. The Tritons have 127 assists, an average of 18.1 per game, and 78 turnovers, an average of 11.1. UMSL has recorded 20 or more assists in four of seven games this season.

WELCOME TO MY BLOCK PARTY
UMSL has a GLVC-best 27 blocks this season, an average of 3.86 per game. Junior Tylor Wimbish owns a team-best nine blocked shots.

ON THE CAREER CHARTS
... senior Kevin Dwyer is tied for 10th all-time with 37 career blocked shots.
... senior Darian Cartharn ranks fifth all-time in three-point shooting percentage at 39.2 percent.
... senior Darian Cartharn needs 18 three-pointers to enter the top 10 in that categroy.