FAYETTE, Iowa -- The University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team fell 56-44to Upper Iowa on Friday night at Dorman Memorial Gymnasium in Fayette, Iowa. The Tritons fall to 9-3, 3-2 GLVC while the Peacocks improve to 6-4, 3-1 GLVC.
 
Morgan Ramthun had the first basket of 2025, scoring a mid-range floater to get UMSL on the board and stop a five-point Upper Iowa run.
 
The Tritons struggled in the first quarter, allowing the Peacocks to score nine points on three-point chances. Alex Wolff and Katie Hamill had two-point buckets, but UMSL struggled to keep pace with Upper Iowa.
 
Audrey Martinez-Stewart got the Tritons going late in the stanza, making two driving layups to spark a quarter ending 9-0 run.
 
Ramthun drained a three-point shot at the end of the first to bring UMSL within two points going into the second quarter.
 
Two minutes into the second quarter, Abby Peterson tied the game with a shot near the top of the key. On the next possession, Hamill gave the Tritons the lead with a driving layup after nearly turning the ball over.
 
UMSL held Upper Iowa scoreless for five minutes in the second quarter and built a five-point lead before the Peacocks could answer.
 
Both teams traded buckets down the stretch though the Tritons did not relinquish the lead. UMSL headed into the half up 28-25 over Upper Iowa.
 
Wolff started the scoring for the Tritons, scoring a two-point basket despite Upper Iowa applying pressure.
 
The Peacocks pushed the pace in the third quarter and UMSL struggled to keep UIU off the board. The Tritons shooting went cold and the Peacocks retook the lead four minutes into the third.
 
UMSL led 37-36 after a layup from Mara Rieder but four straight points from Upper Iowa gave it a 40-37 lead heading into the final quarter.
 
Despite a slow start to the final quarter, the Tritons were able to keep the score close thanks to free-throw shooting.
 
Unfortunately, Upper Iowa remained hot from the perimeter outpacing the Tritons' offense. UMSL was held without a field goal in the final 10 minutes with its points coming at the foul line. The Peacocks closed the contest on a 7-1 run for the final margin.
 
The Tritons shot 28 percent (17-for-61) from the field including 1-of-12 from the three-point line but shot 75 percent at the foul line. Wolff led the Tritons with 14 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Hamill had 11 points, four rebounds, and seven steals.
 
Anna Soler led Upper Iowa with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Peacocks shot 40 percent (23-for-58) from the floor, was 6-11 from the three-point arc but shot 50 percent at the foul line.  
 
The Tritons game against Quincy on Sunday (Jan. 5) has been postponed due to the winter storm with a makeup date to be determined. UMSL's next game will be on Thursday (Jan. 9) against Southwest Baptist at 5:30 p.m.