LEBANON, Ill. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team tried to overcome a 22-point second half deficit but came up short in a 74-63 loss to No. 23 Alabama-Huntsville in the McKendree DII Classic presented by State Farm on Friday evening at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. The Tritons fall to 0-5 on the season while the Chargers improve to 4-1.

The game went back-and-forth early with UMSL trailing 23-18 after a three-pointer from KC Udolisa with 8:33 left in the first half. UAH seized control thanks to a 16-2 run over a six-minute stretch to grab its largest lead of the half at 39-20 after a layup from Tommy Murr.

Matt Enright hit a jumper in the final minute of the half to cut the lead 17 at the break.

The Chargers shot 56 percent (14-for-25) from the field in the first 20 minutes including 5-of-12 from downtown and 75 percent at the foul line. Luke Burnett had nine points in the frame while Murr added eight and Matthew Thurman chipped in with seven.

The Tritons were held to 28 percent (9-for-32) in the half including 4-of-13 from three and were 0-for-2 at the charity stripe. Udolisa and Troy Glover II had six points each while Enright dropped home five more.

UAH opened the second half on a 13-8 run to extend its lead to as many as 22 points less than five minutes into the half.

UMSL chipped away pulling to within 67-58 after a jumper from Enright with 3:28 remaining but wouldn't get any closer as the Chargers scored seven of the final 12 points for the final margin.

The Tritons shot 52 percent in the second half to improve to 24-for-61 (39.3 percent) from the field for the game and was 7-of-24 from three and shot 67 percent at the charity stripe. Enright led three UMSL players in double figures with 15 points while Udolisa and Glover II had 12 points each.

UAH finished the game shooting 53 percent (26-for-49) from the field including 7-of-19 from three and shot 79 percent at the foul line. Murr led all scorers in double figures with 23 points while Daniel Saylor added 14 and Burnett finished with 11.

The Tritons return to the court on Saturday (Nov. 30) when they open Great Lakes Valley Conference action in Springfield, Ill., against Illinois Springfield at 3 p.m.