ST. LOUIS – No matter what a team's record is, there are no easy contests in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and Saturday's game proved that as the University of Missouri-St. Louis outlasted a feisty Lewis squad for a 63-53 win on Chuck Smith Court at the Mark Twain Building. The Tritons improve to 14-10, 8-7 GLVC while the Flyers fall to 4-18, 2-12 GLVC.

UMSL never trailed in Saturday's contest but it certainly wasn't easy. Despite jumping out to an 11-0 lead to start the game behind six points from Jake Hamilton, the Tritons were unable to shake free of the Flyers.

The Tritons led 20-12 after a free throw from Demetris Phillips at the 10:18 mark of the opening half but the Flyers outscored UMSL 14-6 over the remainder of the half to tie the game at 26 on a three-pointer from Arius Alijosius just before the buzzer. Alijosius had 11 points in the frame.

Hamilton and Phillips led the Tritons with eight points each in the stanza.

UMSL broke the tie scoring the first four points of the second half before going more than five minutes without scoring but Lewis couldn't score either as it was held to just two points in the first six minutes.

The Tritons extended their lead thanks to four straight points at the foul line but Billy Durkin kept the Flyers in striking distance with a three-pointer.

UMSL clung to a 40-39 lead before pulling away outscoring Lewis 17-11 over the next eight minutes to build a 57-50 lead. Phillips had seven points in that game deciding run while Miles Boland and Vincent Davis III had four points apiece.

The Flyers wouldn't get closer than seven the rest of the way as the Tritons went 4-for-4 at the foul line in the final minute and Boland added a layup for the final margin.

UMSL shot 44 percent (23-for-52) from the field in the contest but were 4-of-21 from three and shot 65 percent at the foul line. Phillips and Davis each had double-doubles in the contest. Phillips had a game-high 19 points to go along with 10 boards while Davis added 11 points and 10 boards. Hamilton and Boland finished with 12 and 10 points respectively.

Lewis shot 40 percent (19-for-48) from the floor in the contest including 6-of-23 from three and shot 69 percent at the foul line. Alijosius led the Flyers with 19 points while Cale Cosme chipped in with 12 more.

The Tritons head back out on the road next Thursday (Feb. 12) traveling to Fayette, Iowa to take on Upper Iowa at 7 p.m. at the Dorman Memorial Gymnasium.