LEBANON, ILL. – Junior Alex LaPorta poured in a career-high 37 points and recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 16 rebounds on Thursday night as the University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team prevailed in a 79-73 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory at McKendree.
 
LaPorta, who played 44 of 45 minutes, also snagged three steals and added four assists. Her 37 points tie the second most by a GLVC player this season.
 
The Tritons, who were playing their fourth GLVC overtime game of the season, finished 13-of-19 at the free-throw line in the extra period to help garner the win. They outscored McKendree, 19-13, in overtime.
 
RECORDS
UMSL (12-12, 7-8 GLVC), McKendree (11-12, 4-11 GLVC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UMSL outscored McKendree, 24-9, in the second quarter to surge to a 41-22 halftime lead. The Tritons led 17-13 after the first 10 minutes and then put their advantage in double figures midway through the second quarter at 28-17 on a pair of free throws from redshirt senior Laura Szorenyi. LaPorta, who scored 18 points in the first half, gave UMSL its largest lead of the game at 37-18 with 3:48 to go on a steal and layup.
 
McKendree quickly erased that halftime deficit by outscoring the Tritons, 27-9, to pull even at 49-49 going into the final 10 minutes. The Bearcats took their first lead 2:18 into the final frame before knocking down two straight three-pointers to make it a 59-54 advantage with 2:27 to play.
 
LaPorta then capped a 6-1 run, tying the game at 60-60 with 33.8 seconds to go.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Tritons, which shot 54.5 percent in the first half, but connected at just a 25 percent clip over the third and fourth quarters, finished 41.2 percent from the field.
• McKendree shot 38.8 percent and held a 48-42 rebounding advantage.
• Sophomore McKenzie Lathrom added 10 points and five steals off the bench, while redshirt senior Laura Szorenyi also had 10 points.
• Sophomore Kiara Stewart added eight points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks.

 
UP NEXT
UMSL plays its final regular season road game on Saturday at Southern Indiana.