UMSL’s Savon Wykle scored 19 points to lead the Tritons to a huge win over Lewis on Saturday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

NCAA Men’s Basketball12Final
Lewis (16-12, 12-8)254570
UMSL (13-15, 11-9)294574

Cedric Williams
Senior Editor

NORMANDY, MO — The University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s basketball team came into Saturday’s regular season finale needing a win, and thanks to some terrific clutch shooting and a brilliant defensive effort, they got it, knocking off visiting Lewis University, 74-70, in a Great Lakes Valley Conference showdown at the Mark Twain Building.

The victory helped UMSL clinched the No. 7 seed in the GLVC Championship Tournament, which will be played next weekend at Lindenwood’s Hyland Arena in St. Charles.

The Tritons, who finished the regular season 13-15 overall and 11-9 in the conference, will be the No. 7 seed and will take on second-seeded Upper Iowa in a first round game on Thursday night. The winner of that contest will advance to the GLVC Tournament semifinals, where a win will that team a chance to play for the GLVC championship next Sunday.

UMSL has played in the GLVC championship game in each of the last two seasons. Last year, the Tritons lost to McKendree, but the year before they won the program’s first ever league title.

On Saturday, the Tritons and Flyers played a tense battle that wasn’t decided until the final seconds.

Lewis had taken the lead on a layup by Rob Stroud with 3:42 left. But UMSL senior Mayson Quartlebaum, who was playing his last game at the Mark Twain Building, answered with a three-pointer with 3:03 to go that put the Tritons up 65-64.

Sophomore guard Matt Enright made a steal and was fouled, which sent him to the free throw line for a pair that put UMSL up 67-64. Lewis’ Anthony Sayles made a tough jumper to pull the Flyers back within a point with two minutes to go.

But that just set the stage for Quartlebaum to drill another three to give the Tritons a 70-66 lead with just under two minutes to go.

Lewis pulled within two points with a minute to go and managed to get the ball back with a chance to tie or possibly take the lead with 11 seconds left. But Quartlebaum stepped up again and tipped away a pass that rolled to teammate Troy Glover, who raced to the basket and threw down a monstrous dunk as time expired to put the game away.

UMSL went through a tough stretch in January, where it lost six of seven games. But recently, the Tritons have won five of the last seven and have some believing they might be the most dangerous team entering the GLVC championship.

Indianapolis is the No. 1 seed and will play No. 8 McKendree in the first round. No. 4 Truman State and No. 5 William Jewell will meet in the first round as well.

Lewis is the No. 3 seed and will take on Illinois-Springfield, with UMSL versus Upper Iowa making up the final first round match.

The men’s semifinal games will be on Saturday evening, with the championship game scheduled for Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

The winner of the tournament will earn the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

UMSL won that bid in 2022 and advanced to the Midwest Regional finals, before losing to Hillsdale.

Last year, the Tritons received an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament and defeated McKendree to win the Midwest Regional championship.

Tip off for Thursday’s GLVC first round game against Upper Iowa is scheduled for 8:15 p.m.

Image courtesy: GLVC Sports

UMSL Women Also Make The Postseason
The UMSL women lost their regular season finale on Saturday against Lewis, but that didn’t stop them from receiving a postseason bid.

The Tritons will be the No. 8 seed in the GLVC Women’s Tournament, which will also be played at Hyland Arena next weekend.

UMSL will take on top-seeded Lewis in the event’s opening game, Thursday at noon.

Image courtesy: GLVC Sports