Senior point guard Yaakema Rose helped lead UMSL to a pair of neutral site wins over Lincoln and East-West University on Tuesday and Wednesday. (Photo courtesy: UMSL Athletics)
by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
The University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s basketball team entered its official holiday vacation by picking up a pair of solid wins at the Maryville University Thanksgiving Classic on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Tritons played neutral site, non-conference games against Lincoln University and East-West University at Maryville’s Simon Athletic Center, and won them both in matchups they never trailed in.
UMSL closes out the first three weeks of the season, and will open December, where it begins Great Lakes Valley Conference play, with a 5-1 record. The Tritons’ only loss this season has been to the then-No. 1 ranked team in the country and defending national champion, Northwest Missouri State University.
In its two wins at the Maryville Classic, UMSL got terrific performances from several different players.
Against Lincoln, it was point guard Yaakema Rose who stood out. The senior from Springfield, Ill., scored a game-high 17 points and added seven rebounds and six steals to lead the Tritons to an 80-72 victory.
Rose had one thrilling sequence, with about five minutes left in the game, where he made a no-look pass to set up a layup for teammate Steve Webb. Then stole the inbounds pass and made a short jumper of his own. Then on Lincoln’s next possession, Rose stole the ball again and made a play near the rim that led to two free throws that helped the Tritons build their biggest lead at 75-60.
Seniors Marty Jackson (12 points) and Shane Wissink (10 points) also scored in double-digits for the Tritons, while teammates Atavian Butler, Marquis Collins, and Trever Moore all came off the bench to score nine points apiece to keep Lincoln from getting any closer than seven points in the game’s final minutes.
Against East-West U., UMSL’s starters each played less than a half, as the Tritons jumped on top of the Phantoms by as many as 18 points in the first half.
The key stretch in the game came in the beginning of the second half, when after East-West scored the final four points of the first half and the first basket of the second to pull within nine points, UMSL went on a 15-0 run to push back ahead 43-19.
After that, it was UMSL’s reserve players who took over the game and virtually ran East-West out of the building. The Tritons eventually pushed their lead to as many as 47 points, before finally winning the game, 85-41.
Senior Jose Grubbs led all scorers with 17 points, while Butler (12), Collins (12), Moore (10), and Kellen King (10) and reached double-figures in points as well.
The Tritons will now enjoy the rest of the holiday week and weekend off, before getting back to class and practice on Monday.
UMSL’s next game will be on Thursday, December 2, when the Tritons will begin GLVC play with a road matchup against No. 2-ranked and preseason conference favorite Truman State.
The Bulldogs are 4-1 on the season after suffering their first loss, Tuesday night, against Northwest Missouri. Thursday’s matchup between UMSL and Truman State is scheduled to tipoff at 7:30 p.m.
UMSL will then play on the road again on Saturday, December 4, when it takes on crosstown rival Lindenwood, at that school’s Hyland Arena at 3 p.m.
UMSL’s next home game will be a non-conference matchup against Eureka College on December 31.
| UMSL Tritons Men’s Basketball Upcoming Schedule |
| Thu., December 2 — at Truman State — 7:30 pm |
| Sat., December 4 — at Lindenwood — 3 pm |
| Fri., December 10 — at Quincy — 7:30 pm |
| Mon., December 20 — at Wisconsin-Parkside — 4 pm |
| Fri., December 31 — vs. Eureka — 1 pm |
| All UMSL home basketball games will be played at the Mark Twain Building |