Morgan Ramthun averaged 13 points and eight rebounds last week as the Tritons rolled to wins against Purdue Northwest and Illinois Springfield. (Photo by Patrick Clark/Athlete’s Eye Photography)
Women’s Basketball
The University of Missouri–St. Louis women’s basketball team is riding a three-game winning streak after blowout victories last week against Purdue Northwest and Illinois Springfield at the Mark Twain Athletic Center. Mara Rieder poured in a game-high 26 points – two shy of her season high – and added 13 rebounds in Tuesday’s 73-43 win over the Pride. Jayden Kuper and Morgan Ramthun joined her in double figures with 19 and 14 points, respectively. Kuper also had five assists and four steals. UMSL outscored Purdue Northwest 45-22 in the middle two quarters and held the Pride to 29.6% shooting in the game. The Tritons followed a similar script in Saturday’s 69-46 win over the Prairie Stars in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener. They outscored Illinois Springfield 39-18 in the middle two quarters, including 22-7 in the third to grab firm control. They held the Prairie Stars to 34% shooting in the game. Kuper led five players in double figures with 19 points and also had nine rebounds. Ramthun had 12 points and seven rebounds, and Anna Costa Riera, Lexi Hanna and Rieder each scored 10. Rieder also pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds. UMSL (4-1, 1-0 GLVC) will open a three-game road trip tonight against Maryville and will visit Lewis on Thursday and Indianapolis on Saturday.
Men’s Basketball
The Tritons ran their winning streak to four games with a 72-61 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan on Wednesday at the Mark Twain Athletic Center, but they came up short in their quest for a fifth consecutive win, falling to visiting Illinois Springfield 86-76 in Saturday’s GLVC opener. UMSL and Kentucky Weseleyan were tied at 36 at halftime on Wednesday, and the Tritons were clinging to a 50-49 lead with just under 10 minutes remaining, but they outscored the Panthers 22-12 the rest of the way. Quenton Parker and Jayden Creighton each scored seven points during the decisive surge and finished with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Vincent Davis III led four players in double figures in Wednesday’s victory over the Panthers, finishing with 14 points and a team-best eight rebounds. Taye Moore added 12 and a team-high five assists. UMSL held Kentucky Wesleyan to 34.6% shooting in the second half after the Panthers made more than 54% of their shots before intermission. The Tritons had a much tougher time corralling the Prairie Stars in Saturday’s conference opener. Illinois Springfield shot 55.6% from the field, including 64% in the first half as it opened up a 43-36 lead. UMSL got as close as three points early in the second half but couldn’t draw closer as it connected on only 41.2% of its shots in the second half. Moore finished with a game-high 20 points, Miles Boland added 14 and Jake Hamilton finished with 10. The Tritons (4-3, 0-1 GLVC) play at Maryville tonight and will visit Lewis on Thursday and Indianapolis on Saturday.
