EDWARDSVILLE, ILL. – After earning a share of the regular season GLVC title, the University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team will have the chance to win the league's tournament championship on Sunday when they make the program's first appearance in the title game.
The top-seeded and 16
th-ranked Tritons led from start to finish in a 78-63 win over fourth-seeded Southern Indiana in Saturday night's semifinals, shooting 51.7 percent and forcing the Screaming Eagles into 21 turnovers.
UMSL will take on the winner of No. 2 seed Indianapolis/No. 3 seed Truman State on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
RECORDS
No. 1 seed UMSL (27-5), No. 4 seed Southern Indiana (22-8)
HOW IT HAPPENED
UMSL took a 34-20 lead into the break after a stellar defensive half that saw the Tritons force 12 turnovers and outscore USI, 11-2, in points off turnovers. Offensively, UMSL shot 48.3 percent and at one point scored 17 unanswered points during a 21-2 run that put them ahead 30-12 with 4:31 to go.
A 19-9 start to the second half by Southern Indiana trimmed the UMSL lead to 43-39 with 12:52 to play, but the Tritons followed that with a 10-2 run to go back up 53-41.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- UMSL finished with a 20-4 advantage in points off turnovers.
- All seven players scored at least seven points, while four finished in double figures, led by junior Jose Grubbs, who recorded 17 points.
- Senior Jalen Wilkins-McCoy finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
- Redshirt sophomore Steve Webb added 12 points, five assists and three steals.
- Junior Yaakema Rose Jr. followed with 11 points.
- Southern Indiana shot 42.3 percent and held a 38-28 rebounding advantage.
TRITON TIDBITS
UMSL improves to 5-13 in GLVC Tournament games… UMSL improves to 2-1 against Southern Indiana this season after defeating the Screaming Eagles at home (73-68) and falling in Evansville, Ind. (67-66).
