ST. LOUIS, MO. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team shot just 28.8 percent, but found a way to earn a 56-51 victory over Grand Valley State on Saturday night in the final contest of the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge.
 
The Tritons, who even struggled at the free throw line, going 18-of-27, including 3-of-6 in the final 32 seconds, buckled down defensively late in the second half, limiting the Lakers to only one field goal in the final minute and 44 seconds. Grand Valley State shot 35.7 percent from the field, but made just one of its last 11 field goal attempts in the final eight minutes after tying the game at 46-46 with 8:13 to play. The Lakers were also 2-of-17 from three-point range.
 
UMSL improves to 1-1 overall, while Grand Valley State falls to 0-2.
 
Junior Steven Davis led the Tritons with 13 points on four three-pointers and also pulled down six rebounds, while senior Joseph English recorded 11 points, six assists and five rebounds.
 
UMSL owned a 25-22 lead at the half and took its largest lead of the game at 34-27 four and a half minutes into the second frame on three triples, including two from Davis.
 
The Lakers then scored eight straight in a 10-2 run over the next five minutes, taking a 37-36 lead at 11:24. After a pair of lead changes and a pair of ties, senior Hunter Reine's lay-in at the 4:07 mark gave UMSL a 49-47 lead it would not relinquish.
 
Reine and junior Drew Skaggs each pulled down seven rebounds to help the Tritons to a 42-38 advantage in that category.
 
UMSL wraps up its three-game season-opening homestand on Tuesday, hosting Robert Morris-Peoria.