SETTING THE SCENEUMSL hosts Fontbonne on Wednesday night in its home opener. The game also marks the start of a seven-game homestand.
HOME SWEET HOMEUMSL owns a 365-214 (.630) 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. They were 11-4 last season at home.
UMSL is 24-0 in non-conference home games, dating back to the start of the 2010-11 season. The Tritons last lost a non-league game in the friendly confines of the Mark Twain Building on December 21, 2009, falling to Christian Brothers, 63-48.
THE RISE OF THE TRITONSUMSL has recorded a winning season in each of the last five years, the program's longest streak. The streak began in 2010-11 with a 16-11 mark and has followed in 2011-12 (19-9), 2012-13 (17-10), 2013-14 (16-12) and 2014-15 (19-11).
SIZING UP THE TRITONSUMSL is 0-2 after opening the season with a pair of losses at the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge last weekend in Allendale, Mich., hosted by Grand Valley State. The Tritons suffered an 80-55 setback to Ferris State, an NCAA Tournament team from a year ago, in its opener before seeing the host Lakers score the final six points en route to a 63-57 win over UMSL. Juniors
Joseph English and
Tre Hymer are both averaging 10.0 points per game.
FROM THREE-POINT RANGEUMSL is averaging 7.5 three-point field goals per game, shooting 39.5 percent from beyond the arc, through its first two games.
The Tritons were a three-point shooting threat a year ago, draining a single season record 249 long balls, while shooting 39.8 percent from beyond the arc.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTSFontbonne opened its season with an 84-73 win over Morthland last Saturday, overcoming an 11-point deficit early in the second half en route to the win. Kody Ettinger scored 21 points in the win, connecting on 5-of-7 three-pointers. The Griffins finished 13-14 last season.
THE SERIESUMSL has won all five previous meetings with Fontbonne. The two programs have not met since the 1998-99 season when UMSL posted a 78-74 win.
UP NEXTUMSL will host Lindenwood on Saturday at 3 p.m.
