at McKendree: audio | video | live stats
at Illinois Springfield: audio | video | live stats

SETTING THE SCENE
The UMSL men's basketball team opens the New Year by resuming GLVC play on Friday when it travels to McKendree. The Tritons then travel to Illinois Springfield on Sunday. UMSL has been idle for 15 days, last playing on December 18 in the non-conference finale, posting an 89-83 win over Culver Stockton.

SIZING UP THE TRITONS
UMSL is 7-2 overall, including 1-0 in the GLVC, having defeated Maryville, 74-69, in the league opener at home on December 7. The Tritons posted a 6-2 mark in non-conference play. Five players are averaging double figures, led by junior Aareon Smith's 14.4 points per game. Smith also tops the squad with 7.0 rebounds per game. Senior Femi John adds 12.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
McKendree is 6-2 overall and last played on December 20 when it recorded an 80-75 overtime win over Benedictine University at Springfield. The Bearcats, picked to finish last in the GLVC East Division Preseason Coaches Poll, will be playing their league opener by hosting the Tritons. Five players average double figures for McKendree, led by Clinton Hoppe's 17.9 points per game.

Illinois Springfield enters a Friday contest against Maryville in its GLVC opener with a 4-4 record. The Prairie Stars have been idle since a 76-68 win on December 20 over Trevecca Nazarene. Jacob Williams leads UIS with 16.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. The Prairie Stars were tabbed sixth in the GLVC East Division Preseason Coaches Poll.

THE SERIES
UMSL is 12-5 all-time against McKendree. The Tritons picked up a 78-54 home win last season over the Bearcats.

UMSL is 5-2 all-time against Illinois-Springfield and swept the Prairie Stars last season, winning 74-66 at home before an 82-67 road win.

AN UMSL WIN AGAINST MCKENDREE WOULD...
... move the Tritons to 13-5 all-time against the Bearcats.
… mark the third straight season the Tritons have defeated the Bearcats.
… give the Tritons a 2-0 start to the GLVC schedule for the first time since 2011-12 and the third time in program history.
… move the Tritons' current win streak to six games.

LAST TIME OUT
Junior Tylor Wimbish scored 17 of his team-high 25 points in the second half to help UMSL to an 89-83 win over Culver-Stockton on December 18 in the non-conference finale.  Wimbish was 12-of-15 from the field and netted his final five field goal attempts to help the Tritons shoot 70 percent in the second half en route to the victory. He scored 11 points during a 5:18 stretch and pulled UMSL within 80-79 with just 1:59 to play. Senior Michael Weber then took over, scoring all seven of his points in the final 1:32. He began with a three-pointer to give the Tritons an 82-80 lead they would not relinquish before going 4-of-4 at the free throw line in the final 32 seconds to help seal the victory.

THE THREE BALL
UMSL is connecting at a 40.7 percent mark from long range, which ranks fifth in the GLVC and 30th in NCAA Division II. The Tritons have drained 72 three-pointers, an average of 8.0 per game, which is sixth in the league.

Senior Michael Weber has a team-best 25 long balls - more than half of what he made last season (42). He is shooting 48.1 percent from beyond the arc, tied for fifth in the GLVC.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
UMSL ranks fourth in the GLVC and 15th in NCAA Division II in assists/turnover margin with a ratio of 1.61. The Tritons are fourth in the GLVC with 17.89 assists per game and has recorded 20 or more assists in four games this season. On the flip side, UMSL turns the ball over just 11.1 times per game.

LOOKING AHEAD
UMSL returns home next weekend, hosting Wisconsin-Parkside on Thursday and Lewis on Saturday, both in GLVC play.