The Webster University men’s basketball team stumbled in its St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener, losing 73-69 to MacMurray College in Jacksonville, IL, on December 1. The Gorloks erased a 10 point deficit, pulling within two with 27 seconds remaining, but couldn’t overtake the Highlanders.

Webster took a 41-30 lead into the locker room at halftime but saw the lead evaporate in the second half.  After shooting 66% in the first half, the Gorloks went cold on 31% shooting in the second, getting blanked from the 3-point line (0-10) for the half.  The Gorloks held a 41-26 advantage on the boards, but made 19 less trips to the free throw line (6) than the Highlanders (25).

Drew Moore (SR, Northwest HS) and Willie Trimble (JR, Riverside CC, CA) recorded double-doubles in the contest.  Moore had 10 points and 12 rebounds, and Trimble had another strong effort with 10 points and 11 rebounds.  Nick Jones (SR, Heritage HS, IL) led the Gorloks with 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and had two blocks.  

Freshman Jarrod Huskey (Hillsboro HS, MO), who had been averaging 26 minutes and 13 points per game, went down with an ankle injury just two minutes into the contest.  The Gorloks had lost a barn-burner to the #2 ranked team nationally in the NCAA III, Illinois Wesleyan, just two days earlier.

Webster returns home on December 4 to face Eureka College (IL) before hitting the road again to take on Division II Drury University in Springfield, MO, on December 8.