Dropping its first contest in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play, the Webster University men's basketball team lost at Blackburn College, 77-73, on January 2 in Carlinville, IL.  Webster led at the break and, after falling behind a hot-shooting Blackburn in the second half, never could overcome the Beavers.

Webster led 36-32 at the half, but Blackburn shot a scorching 18-29 (62%) in the second half, including 5-7 (71%) from the three-point line, in overtaking the Gorloks.  The Beavers wound up shooting 9-15 (60%) from the three-point line for the game as the Beavers broke an eight-game Webster win streak, dating back to a 74-71 loss in 2011. 

Webster shot a respectable 42% from the field for the afternoon, but poor free throw (20-35, 57%) and three-point (3-17, 17%) shooting proved to be the Gorloks undoing in the game.  Webster also was outrebounded, 41-32, in the contest.

The Gorloks were down, 57-49, with 11:33 to play in the game but closed within one at 61-60 with 7:12 remaining after a steal by Tevin Evans (SR, St. Louis, MO/Chaminade HS) led to a C.J. Moore (JR, Homestead, FL/Miami Killian HS) layup.

The Gorloks trailed by as many as eight again, but a Xavier Dortch (JR, Stockton, AL/Faulkner State CC) three-pointer with :23 on the clock closed Webster within three at 75-72.  After a pair of missed Beaver free throws, a free throw by Hunter Ward (JR, Kirkwood, MO/Kirkwood HS) made it 75-73 with six seconds left, but Blackburn controlled the rebound on Ward's miss of his second shot to seal the win.

Ward did it all in the game for the Gorloks, leading with 22 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists.  Evans came off the bench to score eight points and grab five rebounds.  Freshman Evan Milligan (FR, Evansville, IN/Evansville Central HS) had six points, four rebounds, and three blocked shots in his first start for the Gorloks.  Tehvynn Crenshaw (JR, Mobile, AL/Murphy HS) added 10 points for Webster.

Webster is 2-1 in the SLIAC and 5-5 overall on the season.  The Gorloks start a four-game homestand on January 4 as they host Eureka College at Grant Gymnasium.  Fontbonne University will visit on January 6, followed by MacMurray College (IL) on January 9 and Westminster College on January 13.