February 26, 2008

Men's Basketball Overcomes Deficit to Earn Win at Missouri S&T

BOX SCORE

ROLLA, MO. – Senior Paul Paradoski scored a career-high 22 points while recording seven assists to help lift the University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s basketball team to a 74-71 victory at Missouri S&T Tuesday night in Great Lakes Valley Conference action.

Paradoski netted 7-of-12 shots, including 4-of-8 from three-point range, while junior Nathan Whittaker added a season-high 15 points. Junior Tim Green chipped in 14 points.

It was the seventh straight win over the Miners for the Tritons, who improved to 10-16 overall, including 5-13 in the GLVC. Missouri S&T dropped its 19th-straight contest, falling to 3-23 on the season and 0-18 in the league.

UMSL overcame a 42-35 halftime deficit, outscoring the Miners, 39-29, in the second half after Paradoski hit two three-point baskets to open the second stanza.

Missouri S&T built a 53-43 lead with 13:29 to play before the Tritons went on a 15-4 run over the next four minutes 26 seconds to take a 58-57 lead it would not relinquish on a Whittaker lay-up with 9:03 remaining.

Senior Paul De Chellis pulled down a team-high nine rebounds as the Tritons won the battle of the boards, 39-31.

UMSL finished the contest shooting 48.1 percent, while the Miners shot 44.1 percent.

The Tritons close out their season Saturday at Southern Indiana in a 3 p.m. contest.