OPENING TIP NOTES

• UMSL opens a three-game road trip at Truman State on Tuesday before traveling to Quincy on Thursday.
• The Tritons' game at Truman State was moved up from its originally scheduled date of Saturday.
• UMSL is on a three-game win streak.
• The Tritons are 2-1 in road games.
• UMSL is fifth in the latest GLVC Point Rating System rankings, used to determine the league's postseason tournament. Truman State is third, while Quincy is 15^th.

 
SIZING UP THE TRITONS

• UMSL is second in the GLVC in scoring offense, averaging 76.4 points per game.
• They lead the league in offensive rebounds (13.8) and are second in rebound margin (8.9), which also ranks 19^th in NCAA DII.
• Senior Alex LaPorta averages a team-best 18.4 points per game and also averages 8.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.
• LaPorta leads NCAA DII in free throws made (53) and attempted (66)
• Senior Danielle Berry leads the GLVC and ranks seventh in NCAA DII in assist-turnover ratio (4.9). Berry is averaging just one turnover per game.

 
DIESTELKAMP SHINES IN FIRST TWO STARTS

• Sophomore Breanna Diestelkamp earned GLVC Player of the Week honors after averaging 29 points and 11 rebounds, while shooting 88 percent, in her first two collegiate starts last week. She scored 24 points in last Tuesday's win over Southwest Baptist and then poured in 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Saturday's win over Illinois Springfield.
• Diestelkamp has upped her season averages to 9.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and her shooting percentage to 72.5.

 
LAPORTA'S LEGACY

• Ranked eighth in program history in career scoring (1,081)
• Ranked second all-time in rebounds (846), needing 182 to tie the mark
• Ranked eighth in assists (273) and fifth in steals (139)
• Ranked 10^th in free throw made (237) and seventh in free throws attempted (355)
• In NCAA DII, ranked fifth in rebounds among active career leaders

 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

• Truman State is 7-2 overall, sitting a half-game ahead of the Tritons in the GLVC Central Division standings.
• The Bulldogs have won three straight and are 3-1 at home.
• Truman State is shooting a league-best 50.6 percent from the field and have a GLVC-best 12.0 rebounding margin.
• Quincy is 0-9, including 0-4 at home.

 
EARLIER THIS SEASON
Truman State defeated UMSL, 71-65, on Dec. 5 in St. Louis. The Tritons got within four after trailing by 15, but couldn't complete the comeback. Junior Faye Meissner tied a career-high with 17 points in that contest.
 
UMSL posted a 76-68 win over Quincy on Dec. 3 in St. Louis behind double-doubles from senior Alex LaPorta (24 points, 10 rebounds) and junior Kiara Stewart (14 points, 16 rebounds).
 
SERIES RECORDS

• UMSL is 18-24 all-time against Truman State and has lost the last four, including a 63-58 decision in Kirksville, Mo., last year.
• UMSL is 26-33 all-time against Quincy. They won last year's meeting, 61-56, in Quincy, Ill.

 
UP NEXT
UMSL begins a three-game week at Maryville on Tuesday, which will also wrap up its three-game road swing.