LEBANON, Ill. -- The No. 25 University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team survived a tough matchup defeating McKendree 62-59 on Thursday evening at the Harry M. Statham in Lebanon, Ill. The Tritons improve to 16-2, 12-0 GLVC while the Bearcats drop to 11-7, 8-4 GLVC.
 
Jayden Kuper got the Tritons started, breaking through two minutes into the opening quarter. With a slow offensive start, UMSL relied on rebounding to keep McKendree within reach.
 
The Tritons struggled to find offense but got six first quarter points from Morgan Ramthun off two made free-throws and two layups. Her second layup, at the four-minute mark of the quarter, was her 1,000 point and was the last Triton basket of the quarter. UMSL led by as many as four in the opening from but an 8-0 run from the Bearcats gave them a 16-12 heading into the second quarter.
 
A sluggish offense continued to plague the Tritons into the second stanza despite Kuper scoring early on a drive. Anna Costa Riera quietly kept the Tritons in the game scoring four in the quarter and keeping McKendree within reach.
 
Just under six minutes into the quarter, Jaeda Wilson hit a three-pointer from Kuper to give the Tritons a one-point lead and momentum. Kuper scored the last basket of the quarter for UMSL as well, a driving layup with two minutes left. Despite that, the Tritons went into the break trailing 28-25.
 
Mara Rieder cut McKendree's lead to one to start the second half before the Bearcats scored four to stretch the lead again. The Tritons answered with a Ramthun layup and a Kuper three to tie the game with seven minutes left in the quarter.
 
The Tritons found ways to score late in the third quarter. Kuper scored four free-throws with under two minute to go to reel the Bearcats back in.
 
The fourth quarter started in a back and forth flurry. Wilson made two free-throws, McKendree answered with a layup, Rieder answered with a bucket of her own. Kuper's free-throws down the stretch kept the Tritons in the game.
 
McKendree took a one-point lead with just over two minutes to go. Ramthun scored a layup through contact to give the Tritons a 60-59 lead with 1:04 left in the contest. UMSL forced a shot clock violation and took the ball the other way. With the shot clock winding down, Wilson took a jumper that missed but Kuper got the rebound and was fouled with 2.1 seconds left. She hit both free throws to extend the lead to three.
 
The Bearcats called a timeout to advance the ball. Tessa Crawford had a contested a look from the top of the arc to tie the game but it was off the mark and the Tritons held on for the victory.
 
UMSL shot 40 percent (22-for-55) from the field including 5-of-13 from three and 68 percent from the foul line. Kuper led the Tritons with 17 points and nine rebounds while Ramthun had 16 points and Wilson added 11 points off the bench.
 
McKendree shot only 37 percent (23-for-63) from the field, was 3-of-9 from three and shot 77 percent at the foul line. Kyra Taylor led all scorers with 23 points. She was joined in double figures by Crawford with 10 points.
 
UMSL wraps up its road trip on Saturday afternoon traveling to Springfield, Ill., to take on Illinois Springfield at 1p.m. at The Recreation and Activities Center (TRAC).