ST. LOUIS -- The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball team cruised to a 99-72 win over Maryville on Chuck Smith Court at the Mark Twain Building on Saturday afternoon. The Tritons improve to 12-8, 6-5 GLVC while the Saints fall to 2-18, 0-12 GLVC.

UMSL recorded season-highs in points (99), three-point field goals made (17) and assists (29).

The Tritons jumped out to an early lead with a combination of free-throw shooting and layups aided by three consecutive turnovers by Maryville. Makeer Makeer had four points off a layup and two made free-throws.

A seven-point run started by a three-point make from Demetris Phillips in the middle of the half helped stretched UMSL's lead to 14 points.

Three-point shooting in the second part of the first helped the Tritons separate even more. Three different UMSL players scored three-pointers in a two-minute stretch with Makeer adding a second three just a minute later.

A 14-6 run to close out the first half sent the Tritons into the locker room with a 25-point lead.

UMSL stayed hot in the second half. Five minute in Phillips hit back-to-back three pointers to restore the 25 point lead after the Saints came alive offensively. Free-throw shooting continued to help the Tritons, as Makeer made two before turning around and scoring a three-pointer on the next play.

UMSL had answers in the paint as well. Phillips and Miles Boland answered Maryville's baskets with layups of their own midway through the half. Rashad Smith extended the lead to 28 points with a layup in the paint with just over six minutes to go.

The Saints outscored the Tritons 16-13 in the final five minutes. Once again, it was UMSL's three-point shooting that kept the momentum on their side. Mason Dunlap and Quenton Parker both had made threes during the Saints run.

The Tritons finished the contest shooting 57 percent (35-for-61) from the field including 17-of-33 from three and 75 percent at the foul line. They outrebounded Maryville 38-to-20 including 10-3 on the offensive end.

Vincent Davis III and Taye Moore led UMSL with 16 points apiece while Phillips and Makeer had 15 points each. Phillips had a perfect shooting day going 6-for-6 and was 3-of-3 from downtown. Moore added eight boards and seven assists with his 16 points.

The Saints shot 48 percent (28-for-58) from the floor, were 10-of-20 from three and shot 67 percent at the foul line. Henry Sanchez led all scorers with 20 points in the contest while Noah Courtney and Evan Palmquist had 15 and 14 points respectively.

The Tritons head across the Mississippi River next week traveling to Lebanon, Ill., to take on McKendree on Thursday (Jan. 29) at 7:30 p.m. at the Melvin Price Convocation Center.