at Lewis (Live Stats | Video | Audio)
at UW-Parkside (Live Stats | Video | Audio)

SETTING THE SCENE
UMSL travels to No. 21 ranked Lewis on Thursday in its first GLVC road test of the season before traveling to Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday. The Tritons are 10-2 overall, including 2-0 in the GLVC and sit atop the West Division standings, while Lewis and UW-Parkside are both 2-0 in the East Division.

LAST TIME OUT
UMSL jumped out to a 2-0 start in the GLVC with home victories over Illinois Springfield, 71-45, and McKendree, 71-70, last weekend. The Tritons needed a game-winning free throw from senior Aareon Smith with 2.2 seconds to play to defeat McKendree. UMSL trailed by 11 in the second half and closed out the contest with a 12-2 run. Smith finished with a career-high 24 points and added 12 rebounds and seven assists. In the two wins, he averaged 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.5 steals per game.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Senior Aareon Smith averages team-bests of 15.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, while senior Tylor Wimbish follows with 11.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Junior Derek Williams leads the squad with 2.8 assists per game and 13 steals, while junior Brandon Marquardt has connected on a team-high 21 three-pointers.

AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
Senior Aareon Smith is averaging 8.9 trips to the free throw line per game, where he is 83-of-107 (.776). He ranks eighth in NCAA DII in free throws made and 12th in free throws attempted.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Aareon Smith has recorded a double-double in five of the last six games and has seven on the season, which leads the GLVC and ranks eighth in NCAA DII.

ASSIST-TURNOVER
UMSL leads the GLVC and ranks fifth in NCAA DII in assist to turnover ratio at 1.78. The Tritons are averaging just 9.3 turnovers per game, which ranks second in DII, and are 40th nationally with 16.5 assists per game.

FROM THREE-POINT RANGE
The Tritons have netted 115 three-point buckets, an average of 9.6 per game, which is second in the GLVC and 24th in NCAA DII. Junior Brandon Marquardt has drained a team-best 21 three-pointers, while senior Derek Shouse has 20. Seven different players have made at least 10 three-pointers this season.

ON THE DEFENSIVE
UMSL leads the GLVC and ranks 14th in NCAA DII in scoring defense, allowing 62.0 points per game.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Lewis, ranked No. 21 nationally, is 10-1 overall, including 2-0 in the GLVC, and has won seven straight. The Flyers are 6-0 at home. Ryan Jackson averages a team-best 15.5 points and adds 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists, while Jeff Jarosz follows with 12.0 points and 2.7 assists per game. Lewis is shooting better than 50 percent from the field, including 40.1 percent from three-point range.

UW-Parkside enters a home game against Maryville on Thursday on a six-game win streak and a 10-1 overall record, including a 2-0 mark in the GLVC. Reigning GLVC Player of the Week Zygimantas Riauka leads the Rangers with 17.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 3.5 assists per game. UW-Parkside's 51.2 shooting percentage is third in the GLVC.

SERIES HISTORIES
Lewis owns a 19-6 edge over the Tritons in the all-time series, and escaped with a 72-70 victory last season in St. Louis to snap a three-game losing streak to the Tritons.

Wisconsin-Parkside leads the series with UMSL, 17-14, and won both meetings last year, including an 89-76 decision in St. Louis during the regular season and a 79-70 verdict in the GLVC Tournament Quarterfinals.

UP NEXT
UMSL returns home to host Truman State next Thursday before a trip to Quincy that Saturday.