(Eureka, Ill.) – It wasn’t easy but the Webster University Gorloks picked up a 66-63 road win over the Eureka Red Devils in Eureka, Ill. on Saturday afternoon. With the win Webster won its fourth straight game and remained in a first place tie with Westminster.

            The Gorloks (9-5, 6-0 SLIAC) and Red Devils (3-11, 3-4 SLIAC) went back and forth for much of the first half with three ties and five lead changes. Webster held the largest lead of the frame 28-22 at the 6:26 mark, but Eureka’s hot shooting from behind the arc 7-for-14 (50 percent) kept them in the game despite being out rebounded by WU 25-9. The Gorloks took advantage of the rebounding margin scoring 20 paints in the paint compared to only six for EC and had 10 second chance points to zero for the Devils. Webster shot 44 percent (15-of-34) from the floor while Eureka was a little better 12-for-26 (46 percent). Ryan Turk had 10 points while Brad Robinson had six points and six boards.

            After the high scoring first half the pace settled down in the second stanza and was a game primarily played in the half court. WU trailed by as many as five points in the second half before the inside tandem of Robinson and Darin Hoggatt combined to score six straight points to retake the lead 50-49 at the 12:05 mark. Eureka answered right back with five quick points for a 54-50 advantage just over a minute later. Webster regained the lead on a pair of free throws by Robinson at the 7:25 mark, then EC took its final lead of the contest at the five minute mark on a jumper by Brady Wildenradt, but Webster answered right back on Turk’s jumper with 4:22 left. WU extended its lead to three on a pair of free tosses by Doug Stiegemeier but a lay-up by Chris Beecher cut it 62-61 with three minutes left. Luke Niebrugge’s lay-up 0:16 later pushed it back to 64-61. Beecher answered again with another jumper but Niebrugge’s lay-up with 1:58 left gave Webster a 66-63 lead. Eureka the chances to tie but missed its final three shots, all from downtown, including the possible game tier at the buzzer.

            The Gorloks continued to dominant on the boards pulling down 21 rebounds compared to seven for the Red Devils and turned that into a 20-10 advantage in the paint. EC scored 21 points off 11 Webster turnovers in the frame.

            Robinson finished with 14 points leading WU. Turk finished with 12 Hoggatt chipped in with 11 and Niebrugge added 10 more.