ST. LOUIS – Parkside men's basketball saw a second-half surge come up just short Saturday, falling 61-56 at Missouri-St. Louis as the Rangers dropped their third straight game and slipped under .500 for the first time this season.
The Rangers trailed 28-21 at the break after a choppy opening 20 minutes on both ends. Parkside shot 6-for-26 from the field in the first half and 2-for-13 from 3-point range, but stayed within striking distance by going 7-for-9 at the free-throw line. Missouri-St. Louis built its early cushion with second-chance opportunities and points off turnovers, finishing the game with a 12-5 edge in second-chance points and a 16-4 advantage in points off turnovers.
Parkside steadied itself out of the locker room, nearly matching its first-half total in the opening minutes of the second half and trimming the margin with improved shot-making. Luka Mateski scored 10 points on 3-for-8 shooting and a perfect 4-for-4 at the line, while Josiah Palmer added 11 points and knocked down three triples. Ethan Ivan provided a lift off the bench with 10 points in 24 minutes, hitting 3-of-4 from deep as Parkside finished 9-for-30 from beyond the arc.
The biggest spark, though, came from true freshman Logan Zahour, who scored all 13 of his points after halftime for his first double-figure scoring game as a Ranger. Zahour hit 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point range, helping Parkside claw back from multiple possessions down and bringing the Rangers within one late. Parkside tied the game at 46-46 on a free throw from Ivan with 7:23 to play, then later pulled within 49-48 with 6:26 remaining, but could not fully flip the momentum.
Missouri-St. Louis answered with timely perimeter shooting and late-game execution. Jake Hamilton led the Tritons with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Miles Boland scored 12 points and recorded five steals. Makeer Makeer also scored 12 points and hit a pair of second-half 3s as the Tritons closed the final minutes with enough offense to hold off the Rangers.
Parkside finished the afternoon at 35.8% from the floor (19-for-53) and 69.2% at the line (9-for-13), while Missouri-St. Louis shot 39.7% (23-for-58) and 41.2% from 3-point range (7-for-17). Fawaz Surakat pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds for the Rangers, but Missouri-St. Louis won the rebounding battle 39-32 to help offset Parkside's second-half efficiency.
The Rangers return home next for its second straight matchup against a GLVC opponent, hosting UIndy on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m. CT at De Simone Arena.
To keep up with the Rangers, be sure to visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
