February 24, 2010

Men's Basketball Prepares for GLVC Tournament First Round Game

SETTING THE SCENE
The University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s basketball team battles Wisconsin-Parkside Saturday afternoon in one of four first round games of the GLVC Tournament. The winner will advance to Sunday’s quarterfinal round against host Kentucky Wesleyan. The Tritons are the No. 3 seed in the West Division, while the Rangers are the No. 4 seed in the North. KWC is the top seed in the East Division.

SCOUTING THE TRITONS
UMSL finished the regular season with a 12-15 record, including a 6-12 mark in the GLVC. The Tritons are led by sophomore guard Beaumont Beasley’s 15.1 points and 4.7 assists per game, while senior guard Jeremy Brown adds 12.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

UMSL IN THE GLVC TOURNAMENT
UMSL is making its first GLVC Tournament appearance since the 2004-05 season. The Tritons are 0-4 in conference tourney games, with two of those losses coming to Kentucky Wesleyan.

SCOUTING WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE
Wisconsin-Parkside stands at 9-18 overall and wrapped up GLVC play with a 4-14 GLVC mark. The Rangers, which snapped a seven-game losing skid with a 69-60 win over Illinois-Springfield last Saturday, are led by Grant Johnson’s 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. GLVC Freshman of the Year candidate Jeremy Saffold adds 14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shots per game.

THE SERIES
Wisconsin-Parkside holds a 14-12 edge in the series, which includes a 74-65 win earlier this season in Kenosha.

EARLIER THIS YEAR
Wisconsin-Parkside 74, UMSL 65 (Dec. 12, 2009 - Kenosha, Wis.)
Wisconsin-Parkside scored five straight points in 40 second span late in the game to turn a 63-63 tie into a 68-63 lead they would not relinquish with 2:24 remaining en route to handing UMSL its first loss of the season. Sophomore Zach Redel recorded a career-high 19 points and pulled down nine rebounds, while junior Ryan Lawrence recorded 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.

SCOUTING KENTUCKY WESLEYAN
No. 4 ranked Kentucky Wesleyan has won nine straight and stands at 27-3 on the season, which included a 16-2 mark in the GLVC. Senior guard Desmond Stephens averages team-bests of 17.4 points and 5.8 assists per game, while three other Panthers also average double figures in scoring. KWC is shooting 45.8 percent from the field and averaging 82.6 points per game as a team.

THE SERIES
Kentucky Wesleyan has won all but one meeting in the series, owning a 25-1 record. UMSL’s lone win in the series came on Feb. 3, 2001 (63-62) in St. Louis. The Panthers recorded a 66-30 victory earlier this season in Owensboro.

EARLIER THIS YEAR
Kentucky Wesleyan 66, UMSL 30 (Feb. 6, 2010 - Owensboro, Ky.)
The Tritons finished with just eight field goals and shot 25.8 percent from the field in the loss to the then No. 16 ranked Panthers. UMSL was led by freshman Nicolai Oestbye’s eight points.

HEAD COACH CHRIS PILZ
Chris Pilz is in his seventh season as head coach of the UMSL men’s basketball program where he holds a 77-113 record.

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