The Webster University men's basketball team jumped to a half-time lead, then fell behind late in the game before mounting a last-minute comeback to defeat LaGrange College (GA), 68-67.  A three-pointer by junior Drew Moore (Northwest HS, STL) made the Gorloks first victory of 2009-10 a memorable one.  The game was a second-rounder in the James C. Campbell Tournament in Maryville, TN, on  November 22.

Following an exchange of free throws, Moore hit a jumper at 0:16 to cut the lead to to one at 66-65.  After a Webster time-out, the Panthers hit only one of a pair of free throws at 0:12 to take a two-point lead.  The Gorloks wasted little time as Jones passed the ball up court to Moore and his three-pointer at 0:08 sealed the victory. 

Webster pulled to a 31-22 lead at the half, but saw it slowly slip away as poor free-throw shooting and turnovers helped fuel the Panthers comeback.  After LaGrange built a 65-59 lead with one minute and twenty-five seconds remaining, junior Scott Restoff (Mater Dei HS, IL) hit a three-pointer with 1:13 left. to make it 65-62.

Jones led the Gorloks with 21 points, as John Ortwerth (SR, DeSmet Jesuit HS, STL) had 12 points and six rebounds, and Moore added six points and nine rebounds.  Webster hit six of 13 three-point attempts and outrebounded the Panthers 41-34 for the game. 

A fun tidbit, LaGrange was a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion in 2008...in football.  In the last version of SLIAC football, before teams moved to the Upper Midwest Conference, the Panthers went 9-2.

Webster heads to Millikin University (IL) on November 24 before taking on Blackburn College in its home opener on December 2 at Grant Gymnasium.