THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK HOOPS… UIU men's basketball returns to Dorman Gymnasium this weekend as they face Missouri S&T and Maryville for the first time this season. The Peacocks battle the Miners on Thursday at 7:15 p.m. and the Saints on Saturday at 3 p.m.                             
 
FOLLOW ALONG…  There will be a pair of live options for those who are unable to make it to Dorman Gymnasium this weekend. Both live stats and a webcast can be found through the links attached with this story. Fans can also refer to UIUPeacocks.com/Live for all links on each gameday. 
 
THURSDAY'S THEME NIGHT… Ditch the cold-weather mentally and switch gears to being under the sun. Come dressed for the tropical theme night on Thursday for the women and men's basketball games versus Maryville. A free lei will be given to each person upon entry, while supplies lasts.
 
CALLING ALL ALUMNI…  Make your way "home" to Dorman Memorial Gymnasium for an all-class reunion on Saturday, Feb. 17. Social begins at noon and continues throughout both women's and men's basketball games vs Maryville at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Guests may enjoy complimentary snacks and a cash bar in the VIP Suite overlooking Prochaska Court. Alumni recognition for those in attendance will take place at the appropriate halftime of each game. For even more details or to RSVP, visit UIUPeacocks.com/BBAlumni24.
 
INTERESTING TIDBITS… The following are based on statistical evidence from the 2023-24 season. 

• The Peacocks are 11-1 when they out-shoot their opponent from the field
• The Peacocks are 13-2 when they make more free throws than their opponent 
• The Peacocks are 13-1 when they possess a lead at halftime

HOW IT'S SHAPING UP… Peacock men's basketball remains second place in the overall conference standings with a 9-5 GLVC mark, following Indianapolis with a 11-3 record in conference. William Jewell and Illinois Springfield are tied for third place with a 9-6 mark, while Lewis and Truman State are next on the list at 8-6. The full standings can be found at https://glvcsports.com/standings.aspx?path=mbball. 
 
According to the Point Rating System, the Peacocks are in second place (3.75) and trail Indianapolis (4.07). Truman State is in third (3.68), William Jewell is fourth (3.47) and Lewis is fifth (3.43). The other teams that round out the top eight are Missouri-St. Louis, Illinois Springfield and McKendree. More information on the PRS can be found in the paragraph below or with the link attached to this story. 
 
A LOOK INTO POSTSEASON… The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) uses a Point Rating System (PRS) as the main qualifying procedure for its annual men's basketball tournament as those with the highest ratings at the end of the regular season will qualify for the postseason tournament.  The GLVC developed the PRS prior to the 2017-18 season, and it has been renewed annually by the league's men's and women's basketball head coaches. The PRS will be used to determine the top-eight teams that will advance to the 2024 GLVC Basketball Championship Tournaments, which will be held March 7-10, at Hyland Arena on the campus of Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. For more information and the current standings, see the GLVC's release with the link attached to this story. 
 
SCOUTING THE MINERS (Courtesy of S&T Communications)… Missouri S&T heads into this weekend 12-9 overall and 6-8 in the GLVC, ranking 11^th in the point rating standings. Ikenna Okeke continues to lead the Miners in scoring with an average of 14.3 points per game, while Lovell Williams is averaging 13.5 points and has a team-leading 93 assists.  Julien Smith is scoring 12.1 points per game and has a team-high 37 three-point baskets, while Kaden Froebe comes into Thursday's game averaging 11 points per game and leads S&T with 35 steals while shooting 52.7 percent from the field.
 
SCOUTING THE SAINTS… Maryville enters the weekend 10-10 on the year and 6-8 in the conference, ranking 10th in the point rating system. After starting the season 4-8, the Saints rallied off six straight conference wins, before falling in two matchups last week against Indianapolis and Missouri S&T. The Saints are led in scoring by Noah Courtney with 13 points per contest, followed by Luke Williams (11.6) and Dewayne Vass (10.6). 
 
ON THE HORIZON…  The Peacocks are back at home for the final time next weekend as they host another pair of GLVC opponents. UIU is set to match up with Quincy on Thursday, Feb. 22 and Illinois Springfield on Saturday, Feb. 24.