SETTING THE SCENE
After playing four of its last five games on the road, the UMSL men's basketball team returns home this weekend for a two-game homestand. The Tritons entertain Missouri S&T on Thursday before welcoming fellow co-GLVC West Division leader Drury on Saturday. UMSL and the Panthers have equal 5-2 marks in league play. Drury will visit Maryville on Thursday before its contest with the Tritons. UMSL is 13-4 overall, including an impressive 8-0 mark at home.

HOME SWEET HOME
UMSL is 8-0 at home this season and owns an all-time record of 361-210 (.632) in its home facility - the Mark Twain Building. The Tritons have won 10 straight home games dating back to last season and in two years under second-year head coach Bob Sundvold are 20-3 at home, including 9-3 in GLVC play.

LAST TIME OUT
UMSL is coming off an 86-79 win at Maryville last Monday night, which put the Tritons into a tie atop the GLVC West Division standings. Senior Aareon Smith led a balanced attack with his 11th double-double of the season, recording 19 points and 12 rebounds. All 10 players who saw action scored, while six different players recorded at least one three-pointer. UMSL shot 53.8 percent from the field, including 52.4 percent (11-of-21) from three-point range.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Aareon Smith averages team-bests of 15.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, while senior Tylor Wimbish follows with 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Junior Derek Williams leads the squad with 2.8 assists per game, while junior Brandon Marquardt owns team-highs of 15 steals and 30 three-pointers made. Junior Kevin Swanson is shooting 55.4 percent from the field and has a team-best 11 blocks.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Aareon Smith owns 11 double-doubles on the season - which included a streak of five straight earlier this season. He leads the GLVC in that category and ranks sixth in NCAA DII.

FROM THREE-POINT RANGE
- The Tritons have netted 160 three-pointers, an average of 9.41 per game, which is second in the GLVC and 25th in NCAA DII.
- UMSL is shooting a league-best 41.6 percent from long range, including 44.6 percent in GLVC-only games.
- UMSL has netted double-figure three-pointers eight different times this season, which ties the 2011-12 team for the third most in a season.
- Eight different players have made at least 10 three-pointers this season.

FRESHMAN ORIENTATION
Freshman Max Cook is the only true freshman to see playing time this season, averaging 16.5 minutes per game. He is second on the team in assists (2.1 apg) and has just four turnovers for an assist-turnover ratio of 9.0.

TRITON TRENDS
- Freshman Max Cook is also averaging 8.7 points per game in the last three contests, shooting 61.5 percent from the field, including 60 percent (6-of-10) from three-point range.
- Senior Aareon Smith is averaging 16.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per game in GLVC play and is one of two players to average a double-double in league contests.
- Senior Tylor Wimbish is shooting 65.5 percent from the field in the last three outings, while averaging 16.7 points per game.
- Senior Derek Shouse has netted six of his eight three-point attempts in the last three games.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Missouri S&T is 8-7 overall, including 1-6 in the GLVC and has lost five straight. The Miners enter Thursday's game ranked second in the GLVC in scoring with an average of 85.1 points per game, with Zach Ellis averaging 13.6 points a contest.

Drury enters a Thursday road game at Maryville with an overall record of 11-4, including a 5-2 GLVC mark. Senior Cameron Adams, who scored a season-high 31 points in Saturday's win at William Jewell, leads the Panthers with his 17.6 points per game. Junior guard Kameron Bundy adds 16.1 points, while senior forward Mike Nwelue adds 11.6 points and a team-leading 5.4 rebounds.

SERIES HISTORIES
The Tritons lead the all-time series, 35-25, after the teams split last season. Missouri S&T posted an 85-79 win in Rolla during the regular season, while UMSL avenged the loss with a 103-79 win over the Miners at home in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament. The Tritons have won two straight against the Miners at home.

Drury holds a 16-7 advantage in the all-time series and held off the Tritons, 76-73, in Springfield, Mo., last year in the teams' only meeting. The Panthers have won three straight in the series.

LOOKING AHEAD
After this weekend, UMSL will play its next four games on the road. The Tritons travel west next weekend to Rockhurst and William Jewell on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, and the following weekend travel to top-ranked Indianapolis and Saint Joseph's.