Once again, the Webster University men's basketball team wholly embraced the up tempo style played by Greenville College, beating the Panthers 133-120, in its St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener on November 30 at Grant Gym.  The Gorloks set a team record for assists and had the second highest point total scored in a game, while sophomore Evan Milligan put on a clinic in the victory.

The up-tempo, run and gun style Greenville adopted last season has suited Webster just fine as three of its highest single game point totals in team history have been in the three games the two teams have played since the start of the 2015-16 season.   Webster blew away the old record for assists, dishing out 39, as it eclipsed the previous record of 31 set in 2001 vs. Maryville University.  Webster had 30 assists in its 99-81 win over Rust College in its last outing, the second highest total at the time in a single game for the Gorloks.

Milligan (SO, Evansville, IN/Evansville Central) just missed on a rare 'triple-double', settling for a 'double-double', reaching double figures in points with 30 and rebounds with 18.  Both were team highs for Webster and career highs for Milligan.  Milligan missed the 'triple' when he finished with nine blocks in the game, the second highest total in a single game in Webster history.  Steve Pierson (1985-86) set the record of 10 in the Gorloks' second season of play.  Milligan's 18 rebounds was the third highest total in a single game for Webster.

Milligan also tied for the team-high with seven assists and he shot 12-14 from the field for the game.  Hunter Ward (SR, St. Louis, MO/Kirkwood) had a 'double-double' as well, scoring 20 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.  Ward also had seven assists for the game.  Xavier Dortch (SR, Stockton, AL/Faulkner St) had 21 points on 8-10 shooting, giving Webster three 20 point scorers on the evening.

In addition to the point and assists performance by the team, Webster shot a nifty 61% (49-74).  The 49 baskets were the second most in a single game in Webster history, exceeded only by 56 they drained against Greenville last season.  The 74 shots tied for the 11th highest total in a single contest.

The Gorloks took an 18-12 lead early in the game, hitting eight of their first nine shots.  An emphatic dunk by Milligan put Webster on top, 27-20 at the 10:40 mark in the first, and a bucket and free throw by Jahmad Wilburn (SO, Deerfield Beach, FL/Deerfield Beach), extended the lead to 33-20 at 9:50.  A basket by Parker Van Nest (JR, St. Louis,MO/Lutheran South) off a nifty feed from Adam Etter (SR, Albers, IL/Mater Dei) put Webster up 45-30 at 7:20.

The Gorloks extended the lead to 48-30, but in a blink the Panthers had cut the lead to 48-37.  Webster finished the half up, 65-56, shooting a blistering 27-38 (71%) and had 22 assists.  Milligan had himself a game in the first half, shooting 7-7 from the field, scoring 16 points, grabbing a team-high nine rebounds, six blocks, and five assists.  The six blocks were the second highest total in a single game in Webster history...with the second half still to come.  Dortch had 14 points on five of six shooting, including 2-2 from the three-point line.

A Milligan dunk at 15:25 in the second half gave Webster an 82-66 lead as it continued to prosper in the up tempo pace.  At times in the second half it seemed the Gorloks were more anxious to operate at the faster pace than the Panthers, who experience it nightly.  Webster topped the 100 point mark at 8:10, then followed that milestone up with a dunk by Ward and a thunderous one-handed slam by Milligan to put the exclamation point on the evening.

The Gorloks are 1-0 in the SLIAC and 2-4 overall.  Webster was picked third and Greenville fourth in the SLIAC coaches' pre-season poll.  Greenville came into the game 5-1, and was averaging 136 points per game, but was held to its second lowest point total of the season.

The Gorloks continue play in the SLIAC with a game vs. Principia College on December 3 in Elsah, IL.  Webster then travels to Decatur, IL, on December 7 to take on Millikin University in a non-conference tilt.