Box Score

ST. LOUIS, MO. – Junior Aareon Smith tied a career-high 23 points to help the University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team to a 79-69 victory over Upper Iowa on Thursday night in the Tritons' home opener.
 
Junior Tylor Wimbish added 13 points and pulled down 15 rebounds as UMSL improves to 2-1. Upper Iowa slips to 0-3 with the loss. The two teams will meet again on Tuesday in Fayette, Iowa.
 
The Tritons used a 13-2 run midway through the second half to erase a 40-36 halftime deficit with Smith scoring seven of his points during that stretch. The Peacocks pulled within four twice, including 71-67 with 3:01 on the clock, but would get no closer as junior Neil Branham followed with his second three-point shot of the night.
 
UMSL held Upper Iowa to 29 second half points and 34.5 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes. The Peacocks finished the game shooting 38.1 percent, while UMSL connected at an even 45 percent and held a 41-36 rebounding edge.
 
Back-to-back three-pointers from Upper Iowa in a span of 27 seconds midway through the first half sparked a 15-6 run, giving the Peacocks their largest lead of the half at 29-20 with 8:31 to play.
 
After Joey Woods' layup later made it 36-27, Smith scored five straight for UMSL, pulling the Tritons within 32-26 with 5:08 to go. Upper Iowa upped the score to 40-32 1:26 later before UMSL ended the half with the final four points to make it 40-36 at the break.
 
Senior Michael Weber added nine points and tallied three assists, while senior Femi John finished with nine points and six rebounds. Smith added eight rebounds and two blocked shots.