ST. LOUIS, MO. – Junior Sydney Bloch found redshirt sophomore Jordan Fletcher on the right side block for the game-winning lay-in with just seconds on the clock as the University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team defeated Maryville, 62-60, to clinch the final spot in the 2016 Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.
 
The Tritons will be the No. 12 seed and will travel to No. 5 seed Truman State on Sunday. The Bulldogs defeated UMSL, 78-73 in overtime, in Kirksville, Mo., on January 21, while two weeks earlier, the Tritons posted a 61-60 double overtime victory at home on January 2 in a non-conference match-up.
 
Fletcher finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, while junior Shea O'Brien came off the bench to score 18 points. O'Brien is averaging 18.7 points in her last three outings. Senior Amber Daly added 12 points, four assists and three steals, while Bloch finished with 10 points, seven assists and two steals.
 
UMSL improves to 11-15 overall and finishes GLVC play with a 6-12 record, while Maryville ends its season at 11-14 and 5-13 in the league.
 
In a game that saw 15 lead changes and five ties, it was only fitting that the outcome came down to the wire. O'Brien netted her fourth three-pointer of the contest with 1:07 to play to knot the score at 58-58 and then went to the free throw line with 15.3 seconds on the clock, sinking both attempts for a 60-58 lead. However, Maryville was fouled on the other end and Ali Ringering also sunk both of her shots to tie it once again at 60-60.
 
UMSL shot 44.3 percent, including 50 percent in the second half, and owned a 32-28 rebounding advantage, including a 14-6 edge on the offensive end. The Tritons outscored the Saints, 12-4, in second chance points and also took advantage of 15 Maryville turnovers, scoring 19 points on the other end. Senior Kelly Kunkel pulled down 11 rebounds.
 
The Saints finished the game shooting 46.7 percent after connecting at a 70 percent clip in the first half.
 
Maryville held a 24-20 lead after the first quarter, behind 75 percent (9-of-12) shooting, which included four three-pointers. The Saints then scored the final six points of the half to post a 34-29 halftime lead.
 
The Tritons limited the Saints to 27.3 percent in the third quarter, outscoring their hosts, 14-9, to pull even at 43-43 with 10 minutes to play.