SETTING THE SCENE
UMSL hits the road for the first time in GLVC play this weekend when they travel to Illinois Springfield and McKendree on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. The Tritons, only four games into their league slate, will be playing UIS and McKendree for the second time this season, having opened the GLVC schedule at home in late November/early December against those two foes.  
 
SIZING UP THE TRITONS

• UMSL is 7-6 overall, which includes a 1-3 mark in the GLVC and a 1-3 record on the road.
• The Tritons have lost their last two by a combined six points, falling at home to Bellarmine (54-50) and Southern Indiana (62-60).
• Senior Arielle Jackson is one of the league's top scorers, ranking second with 19.8 points per game in four GLVC games. She is fifth in all games with 16.5 points per game.
• Sophomore Alex LaPorta is the league's top rebounder with 12.5 boards per contest in league only games and 10.8 in all games (20^th in NCAA DII). She has pulled down double digit rebounds in the last five games and has six double-doubles, while also averaging 11.3 points per game.
• Jackson has been the Tritons' top scorer in all but six games, while LaPorta has been the top rebounder in all but two games.
• In GLVC-only games, UMSL is third in scoring defense, holding opponents to 60.5 points per game. They are second in rebounding margin (+5.8).
• UMSL ranks fourth in the GLVC and 52^nd in NCAA DII in free throw shooting percentage (73.3).

 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Illinois Springfield is 4-7 overall, including 1-2 in the GLVC and picked up its first league with last Saturday with an 84-73 win over McKendree at home. Four players average double figures for a team that averages 72.9 points per game.
 
McKendree enters a Thursday home game against Maryville with an 8-4 overall mark, including a 2-1 GLVC mark. The Bearcats are 4-0 at home. Sydney Diekhoff averages a GLVC third-best 17.0 points per game. McKendree leads the GLVC in rebounding margin (+8.1).
 
SERIES HISTORIES
UMSL vs. Illinois Springfield… UMSL leads the series, 12-2, with all but one win coming with the Prairie Stars as a member of the GLVC… the Tritons earned an 82-54 victory in the first meeting this season in St. Louis (Dec. 1)… UMSL shot a season-high 54.5 percent and got a game-high 23 points from senior Arielle Jackson.
 
UMSL vs. McKendree… UMSL is 25-5 all-time against McKendree, including 7-1 since the Bearcats joined the GLVC… the Tritons had won nine straight in the series until McKendree posted a 72-55 win on November 29 in the GLVC opener in St. Louis. UMSL was limited to 37.5 percent shooting and committed 19 turnovers which resulted in a 19-6 scoring advantage in points off turnovers for the Bearcats… sophomore Alex LaPorta pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds and scored 13 points.

UP NEXT
UMSL stays on the road with games at Truman State and Quincy next Thursday and Saturday.