Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, MO. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team overcame a 10-point halftime deficit by outscoring No. 5 ranked and defending NCAA Division II national champion Drury 42-35 in the second half, but came up short in a 76-73 loss to the Panthers Thursday night in Great Lakes Valley Conference action.
 
Drury escaped with the win despite netting 2-of-4 free throws in the final 28 seconds by getting a trio of defensive stops.
 
Drury took a 74-69 lead with 1:28 to play before senior Femi John connected on two free throws and junior Tylor Wimbish scored on a layup to make it 74-73. The Panthers' Cameron Adams then made the first of two free throws, but the Tritons turned it over on the ensuing possession, sending Drury back to the charity stripe. Kameron Bundy missed the first and made the second to keep it a one possession game at 76-73. Senior Darian Cartharn got off two three-point field goal attempts in the final nine seconds, but couldn't get one to drop.
 
UMSL slips to 10-6 overall with the loss, including 4-4 in the GLVC, while Drury improves to 15-1 and 7-1 in the league.
 
A 21-10 run by the Tritons to start the second half helped erase a 41-31 halftime deficit and gave them a 52-51 lead on a lay in by senior Kevin Dwyer with 13:10 to play. A three-pointer by senior Michael Weber put the Tritons up 58-54 two minutes later, but Drury answered with six straight to retake the lead. The second half featured eight lead changes and five ties.
 
Wimbish recorded 21 points and 14 rebounds for his second double-double of the season, while John recorded 12 points, all in the second half. Cartharn followed with 11 points and six rebounds.
 
The Tritons shot 42.4 percent, including 50 percent in the second half, while Drury connected at a 48.3 percent and owned a 37-35 rebounding edge. UMSL held a 14-13 edge on the offensive end and outscored the Panthers, 20-8, in second chance points.
 
UMSL netted five of its first seven field goal attempts for an early 13-8 lead. Drury followed with a 14-0 run to take a 22-13 lead at the 11:52 mark as the Tritons suffered through a nearly six minute drought without a field goal during that stretch. Cartharn ended the drought with a three-pointer and Wimbish later scored a bucket with 9:16 to play to pull the Tritons within 23-20. The Panthers then answered with an 8-2 run before posting the 10-point halftime advantage.
 
UMSL concludes a two-game road swing on Saturday at Missouri S&T.