UMSL big man Marty Jackson averaged 26.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game in the Tritons’ two wins over Walsh and Tiffin last weekend. (Photo courtesy: UMSL Athletics)
UMSL Men’s Basketball – Gameday Info
Game No. 3 – UMSL (2-0) vs. #1 Northwest Missouri State (3-1)
Date/Time – Friday, November 19 – 5:30 pm
Location – MWSU Field House – St. Joseph, MO
Broadcast – MIAA Network
Live Stats – Sidearm Stats
by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
After reeling off two impressive wins to open the new season last weekend, the University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s basketball team will be on the road this weekend to play a pair of games in St. Joseph, Mo., at Missouri Western State University’s Hillyard Tip-Off Classic, a weekend full of games featuring the Tritons, the host Griffons, Oklahoma Baptist, and defending national champion Northwest Missouri State.
UMSL’s game on Friday might be the showcase game of the entire weekend, as the undefeated Tritons will take on the defending champ and No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, who already have three wins on the season, with two of those victories coming asked fellow ranked opponents Northern State and Seattle Pacific.
Northwest Missouri’s lone loss came this past Saturday, when the Bearcats were defeated by unranked Sioux Falls, 83-77, in a neutral site contest played in Kansas City. That defeat was Northwest Missouri’s first regular season loss to a non-conference opponent since November of 2015.
The Tritons and Bearcats used to members of the same conference, the MIAA many years ago. But once UMSL left to join the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 1996, the two teams haven’t played in basketball since.
Northwest Missouri, which has won the NCAA Division II national championship three times in the last five seasons, owns the all-time series between the two programs, 22-10.
Players to Watch: UMSL’s top player, forward Marty Jackson, has also been one of the top players in the country through the first week of the season. In two games, both UMSL wins, Jackson averaged 26.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game.
The 6-foot-6-inch junior from Kansas City, is 11th in the nation in points scored and tied for 25th-best in rebounds. Fellow frontcourt mate Jose Grubbs has also played well in UMSL’s first two games. The senior from Joliet, Ill., is averaging 14 points and four rebounds a game.
UMSL’s emotional leader is senior point guard Yaakema Rose, who averages 12.5 points, eight rebounds, and four assists coming into the weekend.
Northwest Missouri is led by NABC National Player of the Year and two-time MIAA Player of the Year, Trevor Hudgins. The third-year junior has been an All-American all three seasons he’s played at Northwest Missouri and is already off to hot start this year, where he averages 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
Other members of Northwest’s high-scoring offense, include sophomore forward Wes Dreamer (11.3 points/5.3 rebounds per game) and junior guard Diego Bernard (11.0 points/6.3 rebounds per game).
Up Next: UMSL will play Missouri Western on Saturday night and Northwest Missouri will play Oklahoma Baptist, as well.
After the trip, UMSL will return to St. Louis to play in another pair of showcase games. This time, at crosstown rival Maryville University’s Thanksgiving Classic.
The Tritons will play Lincoln University on Tuesday, November 23, and then East-West University on Wednesday, November 24. UMSL’s next home game will be on December 31, when it will host Eureka College at the Mark Twain Building.
After this weekend, Northwest Missouri will play its first home game on November 23 against Truman State.
Probable Starters
UMSL (2-0) Yr. Pos. Ht. Wt. PPG RPG
2 Shane Wissink Sr. G 6-0 185 3.0 2.0
4 Yaakema Rose Sr. G 5-9 180 12.5 8.0
21 Marty Jackson Jr. F 6-6 190 26.5 11.0
23 Steve Webb Sr. G 6-2 195 2.5 2.0
35 Jose Grubbs Sr. F 6-3 195 14.0 4.0
NW MO St. (3-1) Yr. Pos. Ht. Wt. PPG RPG
1 Diego Bernard Jr. G 6-0 170 11.0 6.3
10 Wes Dreamer So. F 6-7 200 11.3 5.0
12 Trevor Hudgins Jr. G 6-0 180 22.0 5.0
42 Luke Waters So. F 6-6 200 9.5 3.3
54 Daniel Abreu Fr. F 6-6 215 6.8 3.5