Box Score
ST. LOUIS, MO. – Junior Hazaria Washington recorded 16 points, 10 rebounds and three steals to help the University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team to its first Great Lakes Valley Conference victory of the season with a 71-61 win over Bellarmine on Thursday night.
 
Senior Angela Johnson and sophomore Kelly McGovern added 11 points each, while senior Devonna Smith chipped in 10 points as UMSL improves to 6-6 overall, including 1-3 in the GLVC. Bellarmine slips to 11-3 and 1-2 in the league.
 
A three-pointer at the first half buzzer from Johnson sent the Tritons into halftime with a 27-24 lead before UMSL opened the second half netting six of its first seven field goals, outscoring the Knights, 15-7 to take a 42-31 lead on a jumper from freshman Kelly Kunkel.
 
A pair of McGovern free throws later gave the Tritons their largest lead of the game at 54-40 midway through the second half before Bellarmine began to rally back, scoring nine unanswered to pull within 54-49 with 7:21 to play.
 
Layups by Smith and McGovern pushed the advantage back to nine before six straight Knights points trimmed their deficit to 58-54 with 4:23 to play. Bellarmine got within four once more, at 61-57, with just over two minutes to go, but the Tritons sealed the win by going 8-of-10 at the free throw line in the final 1:18.
 
UMSL finished the game shooting 45.1 percent from the field, including an even 56 percent in the second half, while Bellarmine shot 36 percent and owned a 36-32 rebounding advantage.
 
UMSL returns to action on Saturday, hosting McKendree at 1:00 p.m.
 
TRITON TIDBITS: The double-double by Hazaria Washington was her third of the season… sophomore Kelly McGovern dished out five assists… UMSL improves to 7-21 all-time against Bellarmine, winning for the first time since the 2009-10 season.