SPRINGFIELD, ILL. – After a sluggish first half which saw the No. 18 University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team shoot just 27 percent, the Tritons rebounded in the second half to erase an 11-point halftime deficit en route to a 63-55 victory at Illinois Springfield Thursday night Great Lakes Valley Conference action.
 
The win, coupled with losses by Bellarmine and Truman State, move UMSL into sole possession of first place in the GLVC standings.
 
UMSL connected at a 51.7 percent clip in the final 20 minutes and outscored the Prairie Stars, 26-6, in points off turnovers as UIS recorded 20 miscues.
 
Junior Yaakema Rose Jr., playing in his hometown, recorded 15 points and seven steals, tying the second most in a single-game effort in program history.
 
RECORDS
#18 UMSL (17-2, 8-1 GLVC), Illinois Springfield (9-8, 2-7 GLVC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UMSL trailed 36-25 at the half, shooting just 27 percent in the opening 20 minutes, while UIS was 8-of-16 from three-point range. The Prairie Stars committed 10 first half turnovers, but the Tritons were unable to capitalize.
 
UMSL then outscored UIS, 21-4, over the first nine minutes of the second half, which included 16 unanswered, to go ahead 46-40 and jumper from redshirt senior Jason Towery at the 11:13 mark.
 
A jumper from junior Jose Grubbs with 5:38 to play gave the Tritons a 55-47 advantage before an 8-2 UIS run trimmed the lead to 57-55 two minutes and 36 seconds later. But that would be all the points the Prairie Stars would get as UMSL scored the game's final six points.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Senior Jalen Wilkins-McCoy added 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double this season.
• Redshirt sophomore Steve Webb tossed in 12 points and added six boards, three assists and two blocks.
• Grubbs finished with 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.
• UMSL shot 37.9 percent, it's third lowest of the season, while UIS shot 36.5 percent and held a 41-36 rebounding advantage.

 
UP NEXT
UMSL travels to Lewis on Saturday in the third of three straight road games.