Box Score

Great Lakes Valley Conference newcomer Maryville made several runs at the UW-Parkside women's basketball team, but a superior Ranger squad held off their hosts and posted an 81-67 victory in St. Louis Thursday night.

The Rangers, who have the best first 19 game-start in school history, are now 16-3 overall and 8-2 in the GLVC. The team picked up national votes in the latest NCAA Division II poll.

Parkside busted out to a double-digit lead at 27-16 just 11 minutes into the contest. The lead was parlayed into a 45-30 buldge at halftime.

The teams traded hoops in the second half. The closest the Saints could get was 53-48 with 12:26 showing on the clock. From there the Rangers went on a 5-0 run to pump the gap back to double figures where it stayed.

Brittany Beyer scored the vast majority of her 25 points directly underneath the hoop to lead all scorers. Teammate Amanda Gibson knocked down three trifectas en route to her 20-point total. Britanny Hogen logged 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Rangers made good on 33 of their 66 shots, 24 of those made field goals came with assists.

UW-Parkside now heads down I-44 for a dual with Missouri S&T Saturday at 1 p.m. The Miners knocked the Rangers out of the GLVC tournament last season and cost the club a shot at the NCAA tournament.