SETTING THE SCENE
With four games remaining on the GLVC schedule, UMSL looks to hold on to its spot inside the top eight of the Point Rating System, used to determine the eight qualifying teams for the league's postseason tournament. The Tritons enter the weekend in eighth place as they travel to McKendree on Thursday before returning home on Saturday to host Illinois Springfield. Prior to Saturday's contest, UMSL's three seniors, Steven Davis, Elijah Watson and D.J. White will be honored.
 
SIZING UP THE TRITONS
UMSL is 12-11 overall, including 7-7 in the GLVC and sits one and half games behind leader Maryville in the Central Division. The Tritons are 7-4 at home and 3-6 on the road.
 
Three players average double figure, including Davis (12.0 ppg), junior Johnathan Matthews (10.7 ppg) and Watson (10.4 ppg).
 
Davis also leads the team with 63 three-pointers, needing three to crack the single season top 10 for the second straight year. He enters the weekend having scored 20 or more points in the last three games, averaging 23.7 points during that stretch, while shooting 
 
Watson leads the GLVC and ranks 21^st in NCAA DII with 5.9 assists per game with his 124 ranking sixth on the single season charts and his per game average currently ranking as a single season best.
 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
UMSL leads the GLVC and ranks 23^rd in NCAA DII in three-point field goal defense, limiting opponents to 32 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Tritons are second in the league in scoring defense, holding opponents to 68.3 points per game. That figure also ranks 31^st in NCAA DII.
 
CAREER NOTEWORTHY
Despite being in just his second season, senior Steven Davis ranks third in program history with 151 made three-pointers. His three-point shooting percentage of 41.6 percent ranks fourth.
 
Senior Elijah Watson ranks ninth all-time with 231 career assists.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
McKendree is 11-13 overall, including 2-12 in the GLVC and has lost seven straight.
 
Illinois Springfield enters a Thursday home game against Quincy with a 14-10 overall record, including a 6-8 record in the GLVC The Prairie Stars are 4-5 on the road and sit in 11^th place in the GLVC Point Rating System.
 
SERIES HISTORIES / EARLIER THIS SEASON
UMSL is 16-6 all-time against McKendree and earned a 59-57 win in St. Louis in the first meeting on January 13. Senior Elijah Watson scored a season-high 24 points, including the game-winner with 0.9 seconds to play. UMSL led by as many as 16 in the first half of that game.
 
UMSL is 9-4 all-time against Illinois Springfield, but saw the Prairie Stars snap the Tritons' six-game win streak in the series with a 61-59 win in Springfield on January 11 in the first meeting this year. The last three games in the series have been determined by a combined four points.
 
UP NEXT
UMSL closes out the regular season next week, hosting Quincy on Thursday, before traveling across town to Maryville on Saturday.