Junior forward Mara Rieder led the women’s basketball team to road victories over Rockhurst and Southwest Baptist, averaging 23 points and 9.5 rebounds. She currently leads the Great Lakes Valley Conference in scoring and blocked shots and ranks third in rebounds. (Photo by Patrick Clark/Athlete’s Eye Photography)
Women’s Basketball
Junior forward Mara Rieder continued her run of dominance over the weekend, averaging 23 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while leading the University of Missouri–St. Louis women’s basketball team to road victories over Rockhurst and Southwest Baptist over the weekend. The Tritons (12-2) have now won five straight games after beating the Hawks 58-43 on Thursday and blitzing the Bearcats 84-54 on Saturday. UMSL remains unbeaten in Great Lakes Valley Conference play with an 8-0 record. Rieder, who last week received her fourth Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Week recognition in the past five weeks, made a strong case to keep the honor in the week ahead after scoring 20 points and grabbing a season-high 16 rebounds in Thursday’s win. That gave her seven double-doubles on the season. She scored 26 points though only added three rebounds in Saturday’s victory. Jayden Kuper added 11 points, and Morgan Ramthun scored 10 in Thursday’s win. Ramthun scored a career-high 23 points to go along with 11 rebounds on Saturday against Southwest Baptist, and Kuper added 19 points as the Tritons registered season highs in points (84), field goals made (31), free throws made (18) and field goal percentage at 50.8%. UMSL’s defense was strong throughout both games, holding both opponents to 38% shooting or less and forcing an average of 17 turnovers with a total of 17 steals. Coach Katie Vaughn’s team sits atop the GLVC standings and will play host to Missouri S&T on Thursday and Lincoln on Saturday at the Mark Twain Athletic Center.
Men’s Basketball
The Tritons went 1-1 in road games against Rockhurst and Southwest Baptist, falling to the Hawks 85-79 on Thursday in Kansas City but routing the Bearcats 78-46 on Saturday in Bolivar. UMSL had the upper hand as late as 5 1/2 minutes remaining against Rockhurst, but the Hawks outscored the Tritons 20-13 the rest of the way. Demetris Phillips scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds off the bench to pace UMSL in the loss. The Tritons also got 19 points from Taye Moore, 11 from Colby Dolphin and 10 each from Makeer Makeer and Vincent Davis III. UMSL was let down by its defense, which allowed Rockhurst to shoot 50% from the field, including 46.7% from 3-point range. The Tritons were much sharper on Saturday against Southwest Baptist, holding the Bearcats to 36.2% shooting, including 1 for 12 from beyond the arc. Dolphin led UMSL with 21 points off the bench, going 7 for 13 from 3-point range. The Tritons also got 14 points from Davis and 13 each from Makeer and Moore. UMSL (10-7, 2-2 GLVC) returns home to face Missouri S&T on Thursday and Lincoln on Saturday.
