The Webster University men's basketball team won its fourth straight, defeating Millikin University, 69-54, on December 7 in Decatur, IL. The win evened the Gorloks overall record at 4-4 after a rough 0-4 start to the season. Webster got off to an early lead and never trailed in the contest.
Webster grabbed a 12-2 lead in the first five minutes of the contest, with five different Gorloks hitting baskets. Millikin pecked away at Webster's lead, cutting it to 24-20 with four minutes remaining in the half. But a 7-0 run to end the half by the Gorloks sent them into the locker room up by 11, 31-20. Webster had a 15-2 edge in the half on points off of turnovers.
The Gorloks maintained their lead in the early going of the second, and were up, 41-29, five minutes into the half. The Big Blue was cold as ice from the field, hitting only 11 of its first 40 shots (27%) with the Gorloks shooting a respectable 20-42 (48%) at that point. Webster extended its advantage to, 47-32, at the 11:15 mark but a 10-0 run from 12:27 to 8:56 pushed its lead to 19, 51-32, and the Gorloks coasted home.
Webster wound up shooting 28-57 (49%) for the game. The Gorloks were out rebounded, 44-36, including 19-8 on the offensive boards, but the Big Blue finished the evening shooting at a frigid 30% clip (20-66).
C.J. Moore (SR, Homestead, FL/Miami Killian) had a team-high 12 points on 6-9 shooting, and grabbed five rebounds. Hunter Ward (SR, St. Louis, MO/Kirkwood) had 11 points, five rebounds, and two blocks. Evan Milligan (SO, Evansville, IN/Evansville Central) had seven points, a team-high eight rebounds, and two blocks. Xavier Dortch (SR, Stockton, AL/Faulkner St) had 10 points.
The Gorloks are 7-8 all-time vs the Big Blue, a member of the competitive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Millikin is having a tough time vs. the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season, falling 0-4 to SLIAC opponents with the loss to Webster.
Webster resumes play in the SLIAC with a game at Westminster College, on December 10 in Fulton, MO. The Gorloks are back home on December 17 when they face Eureka College at Grant Gym.
