EDWARDSVILLE, ILL. – Survive and advance. With time expiring and the top-seeded University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team down a point, junior guard Yaakema Rose Jr. threw up a three-pointer from the wing that found nothing but net to lift the 16^th-ranked Tritons past No. 8 seed Drury, 53-51, on Thursday night in quarterfinal round action of the GLVC Tournament.
 
With the victory, UMSL advances to Saturday night's semifinals at 6 p.m. against the winner of No. 4 Southern Indiana/No. 5 Bellarmine.
 
The Tritons overcame a season-low 53 points in the defensive battle that saw both teams combine to shoot 9-of-25 from the free-throw line. UMSL was 4-of-13 at the line, while Drury missed two free throws with nine seconds to play and a one-point lead that helped set up Rose Jr.'s game-winner.
 
RECORDS
#16 UMSL (26-5), Drury (20-9)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Drury took a 30-25 lead into halftime as the Tritons were limited to 37 percent shooting and suffered through a nearly six-minute scoring drought. The Panthers posted a six-point advantage at 21-16 with 6:10 to play before UMSL whittled it down to one twice, including at 24-23, but the Panthers knocked down three-pointers on each of their next two possessions for a 30-23 lead. Drury made 8-of-16 three-pointers in the first half with their last five made field goals coming from beyond the arc.
 
USL opened the second half with a 10-2 start, capped with seven straight to take a 36-33 lead five minutes in, but Drury followed with seven straight of their own to regain a lead they would hold until the buzzer.
 
A bucket by junior Jose Grubbs later got UMSL within 45-44 with 4:24 to play, but Drury's Conley Garrison, who finished with a game-high 25, scored the next five for Drury for the 50-44 lead with 3:17 to go.
 
Redshirt sophomore Steve Webb got UMSL within 51-50 with 20 seconds on the clock before the Tritons were forced to foul Garrison, who missed both attempts.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• UMSL shot 42 percent, while Drury connected at a 38.6 percent clip and held a 33-31 rebounding advantage.
• Junior Jose Grubbs recorded 16 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two assists.
• Junior Shane Wissink added 11 points and three steals.
• Redshirt sophomore Steve Webb added three steals and seven rebounds.

 
TRITON TIDBITS
UMSL improves to 4-13 in GLVC Tournament games… it was the Tritons' first GLVC Tourney win since 2015… Saturday's semifinal game will be just the second by the program and the first since 2012… UMSL defeated Drury for the second time this season, earning a 72-70 win on January 9 during the regular season in Springfield, Mo… the Tritons are now 2-1 against Drury in GLVC Tournament games.