ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team fell to No. 17 Northwest Missouri State 71-41 on Wednesday afternoon at Moloney Arena on the campus of Maryville University. The Tritons drop to 2-4 while the Bearcats improve to 3-2.

UMSL got off to a good start knocking down three of its first four shots including a pair of threes to jump out to an 8-2 lead. NWMSU scored nine of the next 11 points, all on threes from Mitch Mascari, to take its first lead of the game at 11-10.

The Tritons retook the lead on a three from Terrell Kabala but that would be its final lead of the game as the Bearcats ran off the next 13 points while holding UMSL scoreless for over eight minutes to build an 11-point lead.

Emanuel Prospere II snapped the scoreless spell hitting two free throws for the Tritons but their next field goal didn't come until 1:35 left in the stanza on a jumper from Prospere II.

UMSL shot 38 percent (6-for-16) from the field in the first 20 minutes including 3-of-10 from three and was 6-for-6 at the foul line but Northwest Missouri shot 57 percent (12-of-21) from the floor was 6-of-10 from three and shot 100 percent at the charity stripe.

The Bearcats scored the first five points of the second half to extend their lead to 18 points and never saw its lead dip below 11 in the final 20 minutes as they led by as many as 30 points.

Kabala led the Tritons in scoring with 12 points while Prospere II added 11. UMSL finished the contest shooting 35 percent (13-for-37) from the floor including 5-of-20 from three and shot 100 percent at the foul line. It turned the ball over 17 times resulting in 21 points for the Bearcats.

The Bearcats ended the game shooting 57 percent (25-for-44) from the field, was 9-of-19 from three and shot 92 percent at the charity stripe. They outrebounded the Tritons 25-to-17 and had 18 assists on their 25 made baskets. Mascari, Wes Dreamer and Bennett Stirtz led NWMSU in scoring with 15 points apiece while Daniel Abreu added 10 points. Dreamer pulled down a game-high seven rebounds.

UMSL is back in action next Thursday (Nov. 30) hosting William Jewell in the GLVC opener for both teams at 7:30 p.m. Next Thursday's game will be played on the campus of Missouri Baptist University at the Carl & Deloris Petty Student Rec Center.