A raucous holiday crowd rooted on the Webster University women's basketball team to a 73-57 win over the University of Dallas, on December 29 at Grant Gymnasium. The Gorloks improved to 8-2 overall Kelsey Miller led Webster with 19 points in the contest.
Webster trailed, 17-12, with 1:00 remaining in the first period. Megan Brandt (SO, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) had a four-point play with a lay up and a foul after, for two free throws. Brandt went to the line 20 seconds later for two more free throws to give Webster an 18-17 lead. The Crusaders would go to the line with two seconds left, and had a 19-18 lead after one.
The Gorloks scored the first 15 points in the second period to grab a, 33-19, lead at the 3:00 mark. Webster would wind up in front, 37-30, at the half. The Gorloks picked up the pace from the field, shooting 8-17, and pressuring the Crusaders into 11 turnovers to Webster's four. Webster had 20 points off 18 Dallas turnovers for the half. Miller (JR, Elizabeth, IN/South Central) had a team-high eight points, tying Jaysea Morgan (FR, Fisk, MO/Twin Rivers), who came off the bench to score eight.
Webster was maintaining its seven-point edge with 4:00 left in the third before a Jade Sawyer (FR, Republic, MO/Springfield Republic) three-pointer extended the lead to 10, 46-36. A Miller three-pointer opened up a 17-point advantage at 53-36, at the 3:30 mark in the third. Another Sawyer three with four seconds left put Webster ahead, 63-39, and they ended the period up 63-41. The officials had their whistles out in force in the period as both teams combined for 18 personal fouls. Miller's point total ballooned to 17 in the period.
Webster maintained its lead in the fourth as 16 players saw the floor for the Gorloks. Webster's pressure defense contributed to 34 Dallas turnovers in the contest, as Webster wound up with 35 points off those miscues.
Miller had 19 points on 6-9 shooting from the field and 6-7 from the line. Taylor Lucas (JR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) had 12 points and Morgan finished with 12 also. There were 53 personal fouls in the contest as Webster went 19-25 from the line.
Webster is 8-2 and 2-1 in the SLIAC. Dallas fell to 6-3. They were 2-0 vs. SLIAC coming in and winners of six of last seven, with a six-game streak snapped in their last outing.
The Gorloks will be right back in action with another non-conference tilt on December 30 vs. Central College (IA) at Grant Gym. Webster will resume play in the SLIAC on January 4, 2017 vs. Iowa Wesleyan University at Mt. Pleasant, IA.
