ALLENDALE, MICH. – The University of Missouri-St.  Louis men's basketball team failed to score in the final 3:18 at Grand Valley State and the Lakers took advantage by scoring the game's final six points en route to a 63-57 win on Sunday afternoon in the finale of the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge.
 
In a back and forth final 10 minutes of play, a bucket by UMSL's Joseph English at the 3:18 mark gave the Tritons a 57-55 lead. The Lakers knotted the score 24 seconds later and it would remain 57-57 until Grand Valley State scored on a layup with 48 seconds on the clock. The Lakers had missed four straight field goals, while UMSL also had its chances, missing a field goal, a free throw and turning the ball over twice. Grand Valley then hit four free throws in the final 22 seconds to seal the win.
 
UMSL slips to 0-2, while the Lakers improve to 2-0.
 
Junior Tre Hymer led the Tritons with 14 points, 12 of which came in the second half, while English finished with 12 points. UMSL shot 41.4 percent from the field, including 34.6 percent from three-point range, netting nine long balls. The Lakers connected at a 38.2 clip, but were just 3-of-13 (23.1 percent) from distance.
 
UMSL took a 28-25 lead into halftime, erasing an early eight point deficit as Grand Valley State raced out to an 11-3 advantage 5:16 into the contest. The Tritons followed with an 11-3 run, netting three three-pointers, including two from English and one from senior Cortez Conners, before sophomore Danilo Radenkovic's jumper knotted the score at 14-14 at the midpoint of the opening half.
 
Another UMSL three-pointer, this one from sophomore Max Cook, gave UMSL at 24-22 lead, its first of the game since 19:23 on junior Alex Majewski three-pointer to start the game. Majewksi's layup with 90 seconds on the clock gave the Tritons their largest lead of the half at 28-24.
 
Grand Valley used a 7-0 run midway through the second half a 44-38 lead with 11:05 to play, while senior Brandon Marquardt ended the spurt with a three-pointer that also ignited a 9-0 UMSL run for the 47-44 lead with 8:17 remaining.
 
The game featured nine ties and 19 lead changes.
 
Grand Valley State owned a 39-35 rebounding advantage and collected eight steals to UMSL's three as the Tritons turned the ball over 13 times. The Lakers also went to the free throw line 12 times, converting 11 attempts, while UMSL was 2-of-6.
 
Redshirt freshman Joshua Webster pulled down six rebounds and had a pair of assists, while English grabbed five boards and blocked a pair of shots. Marquardt and Majewski dished out three assists each.
 
UMSL will open a seven-game homestand on Wednesday, hosting Fontbonne in the home opener at 7 p.m.