SETTING THE SCENE
The UMSL men's basketball team returns home this weekend following a four-game roadtrip over the last two weeks. The Tritons, who will play four of their final five regular season games at home, host Southern Indiana on Thursday and No. 3 ranked Bellarmine on Saturday.  

HOME SWEET HOME
UMSL is 9-1 at home this season and owns an all-time record of 362-211 (.632) in its home facility - the Mark Twain Building. In two years under second-year head coach Bob Sundvold are 21-4 at home, including 10-4 in GLVC play.

SIZING UP THE TRITONS
UMSL is 16-7 overall, including 8-5 in the GLVC, and sits in a tie for second place in the West Division standings with Truman State, two games behind first place Drury and three games ahead of Quincy and William Jewell, both tied for fourth.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Senior Aareon Smith averages team-bests of 15.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, including 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in GLVC play and is one of two players to average a double-double in league contests. Senior Tylor Wimbish follows with 13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while junior Derek Williams leads the squad with 2.7 assists per game. Junior Brandon Marquardt owns team-highs of 20 steals and 38 three-pointers made, while junior Kevin Swanson is shooting 54.0 percent from the field and has a team-best 16 blocks.

TRITON TIDBITS
- Senior Aareon Smith has made 143 free throws this season which ranks eighth on the single season charts. He is fifth in program history with 316 career made free throws and is seventh with 420 free throws attempted. His career average at the charity stripe of 75.2 ranks 10th all-time.
- Senior Tylor Wimbish is shooting 57.6 percent from the field in his two-year career, which is the fourth-best average in program history.
- The Tritons have netted 196 three-pointers, an average of 8.5 per game, which is fourth in the GLVC and 55th in NCAA DII.
- UMSL is shooting a league-best 40.2 percent from long range, which ranks 19th in NCAA II, and is shooting 40.5 percent in GLVC-only games.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Southern Indiana is 15-6 overall, including 8-5 in the GLVC, and has won three straight. The Screaming Eagles, 3-3 in true road games, are tied for fourth place in the East Division standings with Lewis. Gavin Schumann averages 18.1 points and 2.6 assists, while George Edwards follows with 14.5 points and 7.8 rebounds. USI is second in GLVC-only games with 11.38 offensive rebounds per game.

Bellarmine, ranked No. 3 nationally in NCAA DII, enters a Thursday game at Maryville on an eight-game win streak and with an overall record of 20-2, including a East Division best record of 12-1. Five players averaged double figures, including Jake Thelen's team-best 17.5 points. Thelen also averages 10.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, while shooting 67.9 percent from the field. The Knights connect at a 52.5 percent from the floor and average 81.1 points per game.

SERIES HISTORIES
The Tritons are 11-33 all-time against Southern Indiana and has lost 11 straight with the last win coming in St. Louis on Dec. 3, 2005, 87-83. The Screaming Eagles posted a 75-58 win in Evansville last season.

Bellarmine holds an 18-11 advantage in the all-time series and posted a 72-59 victory in Louisville, Ky., last year. UMSL claimed an 87-82 double overtime victory over the then No. 4 ranked Knights during the 2012-13 season in the last meeting in St. Louis.

LOOKING AHEAD
UMSL will host Quincy next Thursday and travels to Truman State on Saturday before wrapping up regular season play at home against Maryville on February 26.