ST. LOUIS, MO. –The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team lost a 66-51 decision at NCAA DI Eastern Illinois on Wednesday night in a preseason tune up before officially opening the 2019-20 season next Friday.
 
The Tritons held a one-point lead at halftime and led by as many as six twice during the contest, but the Panthers prevailed by pulling away late, outscoring the Tritons, 16-0, over the final five and a half minutes.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UMSL owned a 29-28 lead at the half after erasing the Panthers' early 8-2 advantage. The Tritons used a 10-0 run to take a 14-11 lead with 8:52 to play on a lay in by junior Yaakema Rose Jr. Rose later capped a 6-0 run to give the Tritons their largest lead of the half at 26-20 with two and a half minutes until the break.
 
Redshirt sophomore Steve Webb equaled his team's largest lead at 36-30 a little over four minutes into the second period before Eastern Illinois rallied to take its first lead since midway through the first half at 40-38.
 
The Panther ended a string of seven combined possessions between the two teams with a basket at the 5:35 mark to take a 52-51 lead they would not relinquish.
 
The Tritons finished the game 0-for-7 from the field and ended the contest shooting 32.3 percent.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Rose recorded 16 points and six rebounds.
- Junior Jose Grubbs added seven points and five rebounds, while redshirt junior Kenny Berry chipped in six points on a pair of three-pointers, four rebounds and two steals.
- Eastern Illinois shot 51.1 percent despite making just one of 10 three-pointers. The Panthers were also only 17-of-32 at the free-throw line, but blocked 12 shots.
- Eastern Illinois had a 43-33 rebounding advantage.
 
UP NEXT
UMSL tips off its 54^th season of intercollegiate play next weekend at the GLVC/GMAC Crossover, hosted by Tiffin in Ohio.