ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team bounced back from its first conference loss of the season with a dominating performance in an 78-59 win over Lewis on Thursday evening at Neil Carey Arena in Romeoville, Ill. The Tritons improve to 5-3, 1-1 GLVC while the Flyers drop to 0-6, 0-2 GLVC.

UMSL opened the game on an 8-0 run and never looked as it built an early 12-point lead. It only allowed Lewis to get within single digits twice the rest of the contest. After the Flyers cut the margin to 23-14 on two free throws from Drew Fisher, the Tritons ran off nine straight points to take its largest lead of the half at 32-14 on a layup by Demetris Phillips. Vincent Davis III had four points in that run while Phillips and Taye Moore added two each.

UMSL took a 40-23 lead into the locker room at the break after shooting 41 percent (14-for-34) from the field including 3-of-13 from three but shot 82 percent at the foul line. Miles Boland led the Tritons with nine first half points while Moore added seven.

UMSL's defense held Lewis to just 32 percent (7-for-22) shooting from the floor in the frame including 2-of-10 from and 64 percent at the foul line.

The Tritons shot close to 60 percent from the floor over the first 10 minutes of the second half to extend their halftime lead to 26 on a jumper from Phillips halfway through the frame.

That lead grew to as many as 29 on a three-pointer from Boland with less than five minutes to play.

Lewis closed the game on an 15-5 run for the final margin.

Boland led all scorers with a game-high 18 points and was 6-for-9 from the field including 3-of-3 from downtown with seven assists and five steals. He was joined in double figures by Phillips with 11 points and Jake Hamilton dropped in 10 points.

UMSL finished the game shooting 45 percent (28-for-62) from the field, was 6-of-22 from three and shot 67 percent at the foul line. It forced 21 turnovers including 11 steals in the contest.

The Flyers finished the contest shooting 43 percent (20-for-47) from the floor including 6-of-20 from three and shot 58 percent at the foul line. They outrebounded the Tritons 33-to-32 and were led in scoring by Arius Alijosius and Arden Eaves with nine points each.

UMSL continues its three-game road trip on Saturday traveling to Indianapolis take on the UIndy Greyhounds at 2:30 p.m. (CST) at Nicoson Hall.