ST. LOUIS, MO. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team shot 56.6 percent, including 68.2 percent in the second half, en route to an 88-74 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory over Missouri S&T on Thursday night to improve to 9-0 at home.
 
The Tritons move to 14-4 overall, including 6-2 in the GLVC and stay atop the West Division standings with co-leader Drury, which will visit the Mark Twain Building on Saturday at 3 p.m. in a clash of the division leaders.
 
Senior Aareon Smith led the offense with 18 points, including a 10-of-10 performance at the free-throw line, while senior Derek Shouse followed with 16 points, shooting 6-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Senior Tylor Wimbish recorded 12 points, while senior Neil Branham and junior Kevin Swanson chipped in 10 points each.
 
The Tritons scored 10 straight during a span of 2:34 in the first half to erase a 23-14 deficit and took a 24-23 lead at the 9:03 mark on a Shouse layup. The Miners quickly answered back with a three-pointer for a two-point lead, but Shouse followed suit with a three of his own to give UMSL a 27-26 lead it would not relinquish. The Tritons closed the half on an 8-3 run – scoring all eight points at the free-throw line – to take a 44-37 lead into halftime.
 
Wimbish, who was held to just two points in the first half, scored three of UMSL's first four buckets to open the second half as the Tritons extended their lead to 56-39 three minutes in. Missouri S&T followed with 11 unanswered to pull within 56-50 at the 15:10 mark before Swanson ended the surge with a jumper in the paint and ignited a 10-0 run to put the lead back into double figures for good.
 
Missouri S&T (8-8, 1-7 GLVC) shot 46.9 percent and was held to 39.5 percent shooting in the second half after a 57.7 percent first half showing. The Miners also held a 34-28 rebounding advantage, including a 13-6 edge on the offensive end and outscored the Tritons, 18-6, in second chance points.
 
UMSL forced 18 Missouri S&T turnovers and took advantage, owning a 30-19 edge in points off turnovers.
 
Smith pulled down eight rebounds for the Tritons, while junior Derek Williams dished out six assists. Shouse and Swanson collected to steals each.