(Eureka Game Notes)
Revenge may not be the word that correctly typifies what will be on the minds of the Webster basketball team when they travel to Eureka Wednesday, however, WU will be seeking some pay back.
The Red Devils earned an 80-76 victory over Webster on January 17, the only Gorlok setback in the last eight games. Eureka got 20-point efforts from Kameron Bell and Jordan Kindred, while Michael Zasada added 19 points in the victory.
The loss snapped Webster’s three-game winning streak and they will try to prevent EC from snapping another win streak – this one coming in at four games.
The game holds a little significance in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference race as WU is one of four teams tied for second place with three losses. The quartet of teams is all one game behind leader Westminster. The logjam creates a situation in which five teams all capable of hosting the tournament or not making the tournament all together as only four teams qualify for postseason.
Eureka, which stands two games behind the foursome tied for second place, is coming off an improbable victory in which they trailed Fontbonne by 22 points in the second half.
Webster is led by reigning SLIAC Player of the Week, Ryan Turk. The senior guard eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau last week, and then dropped 31 in the Gorloks’ win at MacMurray. His eight assists against the Highlanders tied a career-best.
The 31 points were one off his career high set earlier this season against Spalding. He averaged 23.5 points, 6.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds, while shooting 60 percent from the field.
Seniors Steve Hrdlicka and Luke Niebrugge have supplemented Turk’s offensive exploits with tough, gritty defense. The duo is usually pitted against the opposing team’s top perimeter scoring option, and has usually held them to below their normal scoring averages. They are adding additional offense chipping in with 9.2 and 7.8 points, respectively, good for second and third on the season.
The Red Devils lead the SLIAC with 154 three-pointers, and are led by Zasada. The forward is 15th in the conference with 15.0 points per contest. He isn’t the only EC players getting more than 10 points as Bell and Brady Wildenradt are netting 12.6 and 10.0 points, respectively.
