Wisconsin Dells, Wis. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's basketball got 19 points from
Miles Boland and 12 more from
Jake Hamilton but it wasn't enough as it fell to Michigan Tech 73-69 at the JustAGame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. The Tritons drop to 0-3 while the Huskies are 2-0.
UMSL led by as many as nine at 28-19 in the opening after a three-pointer from
Abe Nayou with 5:46 left but Michigan Tech closed the half on a 12-8 run to cut the Triton lead to five at the intermission.
UMSL led for a majority of the second half and were ahead by as many as 10 points at 57-47 after a jumper from
Jared Jackson with less than 10 minutes remaining.
The Huskies chipped away over the next 3:34 with a 14-2 run to take a 61-59 lead on a three-pointer from Kayden Schultz.
There were three ties and two lead changes over the final six minutes. Michigan Tech broke a 67-all tie on two free throws from Schultz and then a jumper from Jesse Napgezek to take a 71-67 lead with less than a minute to play.
Rashad Smith cut the deficit to two with a layup and then after a stop Hamilton got fouled and went to the line for a chance to tie the game but he missed both free throws and the Huskies got the rebound. Napgezek was fouled and made both free throws to seal the victory.
The Tritons shot 46 percent (25-for-55) from the field in the contest but were 3-of-13 from three and shot 80 percent at the foul line. Boland and Hamilton led UMSL in scoring while Nayou finished with 10 points.
Michigan Tech shot 44 percent (25-for-57) from the floor including 9-of-28 from three but shot only 67 percent at the charity stripe. Napgezek led all scorers with 26 points and was joined in double figures by Schultz with 22 points.
The Tritons are back in action next Friday (November 20) against Hannibal-LaGrange at 5:30 p.m. in the McKendree Legends Club Classic at the Melvin Price Convocation Center in Lebanon, Ill.
