SETTING THE SCENE
While the majority of the GLVC schedule doesn't get underway until January, UMSL will get a brief preview this week when it plays its first two conference games. The Tritons travel to No. 9 ranked Drury on Thursday and to Truman State on Saturday. In all, UMSL will play three of its 18 GLVC games before the end of the calendar year as William Jewell visits St. Louis next week.

UMSL IN GLVC OPENERS
UMSL is 3-17 in GLVC openers and is opening the conference slate at Drury for the second straight year. This year also marks the third straight the Tritons and Panthers have tangled in the league lidlifter.

GLVC PRESEASON POLL
UMSL was picked to finish second in the GLVC Central Division Preseason Coaches Poll. The GLVC regular season will feature a newly adopted three-division format with the familiar East and West Divisions, along with the additional Central Division, which Maryville was favored to win. Drury was tabbed as the unanimous favorite in the West, while Southern Indiana was the top pick in the East.

The top-eight teams with the most points derived from the new GLVC Point Rating System at the end of the regular season will earn a berth to the GLVC Basketball Championship Tournament on March 1-4 at the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Illinois, on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

SIZING UP THE TRITONS
UMSL improved to 3-1 last Saturday with a 68-47 win over Lincoln. The Tritons took a 32-19 lead into halftime, while the Blue Tigers opened the second half with 10 unanswered points to pull within 32-29, but UMSL followed with 17 straight to ignite an 18-2 run to end the third quarter. Junior Arielle Jackson scored a season-high 20 points, netting six three-pointers, while senior Sammie Sproul knocked in five three-pointers for 15 points.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
• Four players are averaging double figures, led by Jackson's 14.0 points per game. She also leads the team with 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

• Sproul follows with 12.5 points and 2.5 assists per game and has a team-high 14 three-pointers, shooting 58.3 percent from beyond the arc. Sproul, who started all 28 games a year ago, averaged just 4.4 points and finished with 26 three-pointers on the season. She leads the GLVC and ranks fifth nationally in NCAA DII in three-point shooting percentage.

• Freshman Alex LaPorta adds 11.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game and has collected three double-doubles - a GLVC best that also ranks 21st nationally in NCAA DII. She ranks second in the GLVC in rebounding and owns a league-best 4.0 offensive rebounds per game, while her 11.5 points per game is second among freshman players in the GLVC, trailing only Sydney Offield (13.0 ppg) of William Jewell.

• Senior Shawnta Johnson rounds out the scoring leaders with 10.8 points per game to go with 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Johnson averaged 6.7 points per game a year ago.

• Junior Kaitlynn Henning is coming off a career-high 10 points in the win over Lincoln. She is averaging 6.3 points per game. Henning appeared in just 10 games last year.

ON THE OFFENSIVE
UMSL leads the GLVC in offensive rebounds and ranks 12th in NCAA DII with 17.8 per game.   

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
UMSL is second in the GLVC and 42nd in NCAA DII in scoring defense, allowing 57.5 points per game.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Drury, ranked ninth in the WBCA DII Coaches Poll, is 5-1, including 3-0 at home. The Panthers lead the league in scoring with 81.8 points per game. Senior guard Alice Heinzler averages 16.3 points per game and has team-highs of 15 three-pointers and 20 steals.

Truman State is idle on Thursday night and begins its GLVC schedule on Saturday against UMSL with a 3-2 record, which includes a 2-0 mark at home. The Bulldogs are led by Ashley Hartwig's 11.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. 11 different players are averaging 10 or more minutes per game.

SERIES HISTORIES
Drury has won 24 of the 25 games played in the series and won both games last season, including a 72-58 decision in Springfield and a 63-54 win in St. Louis.

UMSL is 20-18 all-time against Truman State. The Tritons won both meetings a year ago, including an 80-70 victory in Kirksville and a 67-58 win in St. Louis.

UP NEXT
UMSL will host William Jewell on Thursday in GLVC play.