KIRKSVILLE, MO. – Senior Aareon Smith scored a career-high 38 points to help the University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team to a 76-71 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory at Truman State on Saturday night.
 
Smith scored 29 points in the second half, including 19 in the first nine minutes of the second stanza, which also included his 1,000^th career point. He becomes just the 16^th player in program history to accomplish that feat, and the first since Jonathan Griffin (2002-06). Smith, who bettered his previous career-high of 28 points on Thursday night, now ranks 15^th all-time on the scoring charts with 1,014 career points.
 
His 38 points tie the second most by a GLVC player this season.
 
UMSL improves to 18-9 overall, including 10-7 in the GLVC and moves into a tie for second place with Truman State (18-9, 10-7 GLVC) in the West Division, one game behind Drury. The Tritons, who have assured themselves of at least a first round GLVC Tournament home game with today's win, will close out the regular season at home on Thursday, hosting Maryville at 7:30 p.m.
 
Smith scored his team's first seven points of the second half as the Tritons extended their halftime lead of 37-33 to 44-35 with 17:53 to play. He netted his 1,00^th career-point at the 12 minute mark and moments later converted a traditional three-point play with 11:16 on the clock to give UMSL its largest lead of the game at 60-50.
 
However, Truman State answered with a 12-0 run and took a 62-60 lead with 7:27 remaining. Junior Brandon Marquardt ended a three-minute 26-second scoring drought at the 7:19 mark before another four points from the Bulldogs gave the hosts a 66-62 lead. But from there, it was Smith with six straight. After Truman State knotted it at 68-68, junior Derek Williams converted two of three free throws for a 70-68 lead with 2:01 to play that UMSL would not relinquish.
 
Marquardt added 13 points, while junior Kevin Swanson chipped in 10 points off the bench.
 
UMSL shot an even 56 percent, including 60 percent in the second half. Smith alone was 14-of-17 from the field, including 10-of-10 in the second half, and was 2-of-3 from three-point range and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe. He also pulled down eight rebounds to help UMSL to a 31-24 rebounding advantage.
 
Truman State shot 48.2 percent and was led by Reed Mells' 24 points.
                                                                                                                                                                           
UMSL owned a 37-33 halftime lead and used a 12-0 run, including three three-pointers, to turn a 24-20 deficit into a 32-24 advantage with 5:41 to play as the first half featured six lead changes.
 
TRITON TIDBITS: UMSL completes the season sweep of Truman State, having also defeated the Bulldogs, 85-77, in St. Louis earlier this season… UMSL leads the all-time series with Truman State, 24-14… the Tritons have won two straight on the road and improve to 6-5 in road games… senior Aareon Smith also moved into fourth place on the single season charts with 170 made free throws this year… Smith's 38 points were two shy of the single game top 10 list… UMSL records 18 wins for the first time since 2011-12 (19-9) and just the second time since the 1990-91 team went 22-6.