LIBERTY, MO. – Junior Kelly Kunkel scored 19 of her career-high 26 points in the second half to lead the University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team to a 69-49 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory at William Jewell on Saturday afternoon.
 
After shooting just 29.2 percent in the opening half, the Tritons came out blazing in the final 20 minutes, shooting at a 61.9 percent clip. UMSL outscored William Jewell, 42-19, in the second stanza, to erase a 30-27 halftime deficit.
 
UMSL, which entered the contest one game behind William Jewell in the West Division standings, improves to 10-9 overall, including 6-5 in the GLVC. The Cardinals fall to 11-8 and 6-5 in the league.
 
Kunkel finished 8-of-14 from the field and 9-of-9 at the free throw line and also pulled down nine rebounds, while senior Alexis Lawrence added 14 points, draining four three-pointers. Senior Kelly McGovern followed with 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while junior Amber Daly tallied 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
 
William Jewell jumped out to an early 10-4 lead behind back-to-back three-pointers, but the Tritons stormed back with seven unanswered and took an 11-10 lead on a Kunkel three-pointer. The Cardinals regained the lead, 20-11 at the 12:55 mark, scoring 10 points in a span on 70 seconds, including five off a pair of UMSL turnovers, but went the next 10 minutes without a field goal. UMSL took advantage, using a 12-2 run, capped by eight straight, including six from McGovern, to post a 23-22 advantage with 4:13 to play. A shot at the buzzer helped William Jewell to the 30-27 halftime lead.
 
The Cardinals netted the first basket of the second half, but a traditional three-point play from Kunkel, followed by a Lawrence three-pointer gave the Tritons a 33-32 lead they would not relinquish. UMSL outscored William Jewell, 15-6, in the first 10 minutes and extended its lead to 42-36 on another Kunkel bucket before the Cardinals pulled within 44-42 with 8:53 to play. However, Lawrence followed with another three-pointer and William Jewell would get no closer.
 
UMSL finished the game shooting 44 percent and held a 39-37 rebounding advantage. The Cardinals were limited to 29.5 percent shooting, including just 21.9 percent in the second half. UMSL has now held six opponents under 50 points this season, with three of those games coming in its last four outings.
 
The Tritons committed a season-low eight turnovers.
 
UMSL stays on the road for two more games next weekend, beginning with Indianapolis on Thursday.