KENOSHA, Wis. – Parkside men's basketball hits the road for the first time this season on Saturday, traveling to St. Louis to face Missouri–St. Louis at 3 p.m. CT inside the Mark Twain Building. The matchup opens a three-game stretch against GLVC opponents for the Rangers, who sit at 3-3 overall and 0-2 in GLIAC play after a challenging opening weekend of conference action against Northern Michigan and nationally ranked Michigan Tech.
Through six games, Parkside is averaging 78.0 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 37 percent from beyond the arc, while holding opponents to 72.8 points on 44 percent shooting. The Rangers are plus-1.5 on the glass at 33.7 rebounds per contest and get to the free-throw line at a strong clip, converting 76.8 percent from the stripe and averaging 19.3 made free throws per game.
Offensively, Parkside is powered by a balanced frontcourt and wing duo. Redshirt junior forward Luka Mateski leads the Rangers at 19.0 points per game on 63.8 percent shooting from the floor and 95.8 percent at the line, while adding 6.2 rebounds. Senior guard Paxton Warden is close behind at 18.8 points per game, shooting 43.8 percent from three and contributing 4.7 rebounds. Graduate guard Josiah Palmer adds 10.8 points and a team-best 3.7 assists per contest, and senior forward Fawaz Surakat provides interior presence with 9.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game, helping Parkside average 3.3 rejections as a team.
Last weekend, the Rangers went toe-to-toe with the top of the GLIAC but came up short in both contests. On Thursday, Parkside fell 82-78 to Northern Michigan despite shooting 47.2 percent from the floor and getting 23 points each from Mateski and Warden. The Rangers then dropped a 69-54 decision to Michigan Tech on Saturday, as the Huskies controlled the glass and held Parkside to 32.7 percent shooting overall. Palmer posted a season-high 19 points in that game, with Warden adding 15 and Mateski 14.
Saturday, December 13
Parkside at Missouri-St. Louis
3:00 p.m. CT | Mark Twain Building | St. Louis, Mo.
SCOUTING MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS:
UMSL enters the weekend at 6-4 overall and 2-2 in GLVC play after a convincing 69-52 road win over Maryville on Tuesday. The Tritons limited Maryville to 37.7 percent shooting from the field and 18.8 percent from three, while forcing 18 turnovers that turned into a 26-11 advantage in points off turnovers. UMSL also scored 38 points in the paint and used a 39-25 second half to pull away.
On the season, the Tritons are averaging 75.5 points per game while allowing just 65.6. UMSL shoots 48.1 percent from the floor and 34.1 percent from three, and owns a plus-2.5 rebounding margin behind 32.3 boards per contest. Defensively, they are one of the more disruptive groups in the GLVC, forcing opponents into 15.9 turnovers per game and averaging 8.9 steals. That has led to a plus-3.4 turnover margin and consistent success in transition and off live-ball turnovers.
Individually, guard Taye Moore sets the tone offensively at 15.1 points per game while also contributing on the glass and as a playmaker. Forward Jake Hamilton averages 10.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest, and guard Vincent Davis III adds 9.3 points and 5.8 rebounds, giving the Tritons multiple scoring options in the halfcourt. Point guard Miles Boland provides balance with 8.5 points and a team-leading 4.5 assists per game, helping UMSL average 13.0 assists as a team. Several other Tritons hover near double figures, giving head coach Bob Sundvold a deep and versatile rotation.
Coming into the season, UMSL was picked to finish third in the GLVC after a 2024-25 campaign that saw the Tritons go 21-12 overall and 15-5 in league play, finish second in the conference, reach the GLVC Tournament championship game and advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third time in four years. Sundvold, now in his 13th season, became the program's all-time winningest coach last spring with an NCAA Tournament win over Ferris State.
The series between Parkside and UMSL has remained tight over the years, with the Rangers holding an 8-7 edge dating back to the first meeting in 2000. The Tritons, however, have had the upper hand of late, winning the last five matchups, including a 62-57 victory in St. Louis on Nov. 21, 2023, and an NCAA Tournament first-round win over Parkside on March 11, 2023. The Rangers are 2-4 all time in St. Louis and 5-5 over the last 10 meetings.
LOOKING AHEAD:
After Saturday's road test, Parkside returns to De Simone Arena for another GLVC matchup, hosting UIndy on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. CT in the second game of a doubleheader with the Ranger women.
To keep up with the Rangers this weekend, be sure to visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
