Box Score

ROLLA, MO. – Host Missouri S&T outscored the University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team, 19-6, in the final five minutes to rally for an 85-79 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Tritons owned a 10-point lead midway through the second half and held a 73-66 lead with 5:31 to play after a Femi John three-pointer, but the Miners stormed back with nine unanswered points and took a 75-73 lead with 2:46 to go. After Tylor Wimbish scored for the Tritons to knot it at 75-75, the Miners got four points from Mudi Eruteya at the free throw line for a lead they would not relinquish. Wimbish connected for a pair of free throws to pull UMSL within 81-79 with 25 seconds to play, but Missouri S&T hit 4-of-6 free throws to help seal the game.
 
UMSL falls to 10-7 overall with the loss, including 4-5 in the GLVC, while the Miners improve to 9-8 and 4-5 in the league with their fourth straight win.
 
Wimbish recorded his third straight 20-plus outing with 26 points, while senior Femi John added 21 points.
 
The Miners, which shot 57.7 percent in the second half, also had two players with 20-plus points, including Eruteya's game-high 27. Missouri S&T went to the free throw line 36 times, converting for 25 points (69.4 percent), while UMSL was just 8-of-15 (53.3 percent).
 
Cold shooting by the Miners to start the game (4-of-16) allowed the Tritons to take an early 19-11 lead midway through the opening half of play. Missouri S&T then scored seven of the next eight points and pulled within 20-18 before a three-pointer from junior Neil Branham and a bucket from Wimbish. Wimbish scored 11 of his 16 first half points in the final 7:06 to help the Tritons to a 40-36 halftime lead.
 
UMSL shot an even 50 percent, but was just 5-of-23 (21.7 percent) from three-point range after entering the game as the GLVC's second-best outside shooting team at 41.7 percent.
 
Missouri S&T held a 42-32 rebounding advantage. John pulled down seven rebounds for the Tritons and also dished out three assists and recorded two blocked shots.
 
UMSL tallied 20 assists to eight turnovers, marking its seventh game of 20 or more assists.
 
The Tritons return to action on Thursday, hosting William Jewell at 7:30 p.m. in the start of a four-game homestand.