THIS WEEK: The Maryville men’s basketball team hopes to snap its first losing skid of the season with two home Great Lakes Valley Conference games at Moloney Arena. The Saints welcome McKendree for a 7:30 p.m. game Thursday, Jan. 10, then take on Bellarmine Saturday, Jan. 12, in a 3:15 p.m. contest.
 
ABOUT MCKENDREE: The Bearcats are in their first season as members of the GLVC and bring a 7-5 overall record, 1-1 in the conference to the game. Clinton Happe leads the team with 18.4 ppg, while John Steppe is second with 17.9 ppg and a team-high 8.4 rpg. The Bearcats top the league in 3-point field goal percentage defense at 25.9 and convert a league-best 8.58 3-pointers a game. This will be McKendree’s third game in Moloney Arena this season as they participated in the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge in November. Head coach Harry Statham is the all-time wins leader in men’s college basketball history and is in his 47th season at McKendree.
 
ABOUT BELLARMINE: The Knights, who won the 2011 National Championship, were No. 4 in the last NCAA Division II poll and started the week 10-0 overall, 2-0 in the league. Vance Hall tops the team at 15.7 ppg and is shooting 58.8 percent from the field, including a sparking 56.5 percent from 3-point range. Chris Dowe is second on the squad at 14.5 ppg and grabs 5.7 rpg. The Knights lead the GLVC in scoring defense at 58.1 ppg and field goal percentage defense at 37.3 percent.
 
MORE ON MARYVILLE: The Saints are 11-4, 1-2 in the GLVC, still the program’s best mark after 15 games. Asa Toney leads the team with 15.6 ppg, 65 assists and 24 steals. Armon Provo is second on the squad with a 13.2 scoring average and is second on the team with 41 assists and 22 steals. Lone senior Gerald Shaw adds 11.3 ppg Head coach Kevin Carroll is in his third year at Maryville and has compiled a 31-37 overall record.
 
LAST WEEK: The Saints dropped a pair of road games at nationally-ranked foes No. 9 Kentucky Wesleyan and No. 17 Southern Indiana.
 
TUNE IN: To watch Saints home games on-line featuring new Voice of the Saints Jim Powers, log on to www.maryvillesaints.com/showcase. Cost to view a single game is $6.95, $10.95 per month, with an annual option to watch all Saints home events for $89.95. Links can be found under the section Saints Gameday as well as on the schedule page for men’s and women’s basketball. In addition, audio will be available for selected road games.
 
BE SOCIABLE: Follow Maryville Saints on Twitter @MaryvilleSaints and use the hashtag #SaintsNation for all items on Twitter associated with Maryville. Be sure to “like” the Maryville athletics Facebook page at www.facebook.com/maryvillesaints.

LOOKING AHEAD: Maryville head to the western side of the state as they play at William Jewel Thursday, Jan. 17, and at Rockhurst Saturday, Jan. 19.