Box Score The Webster University men's basketball team dropped an exhibition bout at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 78-56, on November 14 in Normandy, MO.  The Gorloks, with eight freshmen seeing playing time, had the opportunity to get its overhauled roster some much needed playing time on the court together.

Webster returns five players that saw varsity action and one who played JV only from the 2016-17 squad.  Enrique Tankins (SO, Wentzville, MO/Timberland) saw action in 23 games and Michael Dunn (SR, Tallahassee, FL/Lawton Chiles) in 25, but the other three returnees had 19 games and 79 minutes total between them.  They are joined by 12 new players in 2017-18, 11 of them freshmen.

The NCAA II Tritons, members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, took a 34-25 halftime lead, and kept the Gorloks at safe distance in the second half as they won.  Webster fell behind 9-1 to open the contest but closed to within four at 13-9 and then 15-11.  UMSL opened up a nine point lead at 20-11, but the scrappy Gorloks pulled within five at 22-17 before settling for a nine-point halftime deficit.

UMSL opened up an 18 point lead to start the second half and kept Webster at bay the rest of the way.  The Gorloks were out-rebounded 36-28 as the taller Tritons had a 26-12 edge in points in the paint.  The Gorloks shot a pedestrian 34.6% from the field, but did well at the free throw line, sinking 13-16 (81.3%).  Webster managed to can 5-11 (45.5%) three-pointers in the second half after sinking just 2-10 in the first.  The Tritons shot 51% from the field for the game and heated it up from beyond the arc in the second half themselves, shooting 8-12 (66.6%).

Josh Johnson (SO, St. Louis, MO/Clayton), one of the returners who saw limited playing time as a freshman, had a team-high 14 points, shooting 6-12 from the field.  Rodson Etienne (West Palm Beach, FL/Royal Palm Beach) one of the many freshmen, had nine points and a team-high six rebounds for Webster.

Fourteen Gorloks saw playing time as head coach Chris Bunch got a preview of his roster.  Webster's top eight scorers and seven of its top nine rebounders from last season are gone, as the newcomers will be counted on heavily.

Webster finished 14-12 last year.  UMSL, 11-18 in 2016-17, is 2-1 on the young season.

Webster opens play on November 17-18 at the Lopata Classic at Washington University.  The Gorloks face Tufts University (MA) in first round action on November 17, then will play in the championship or consolation on November 18 vs. either Wabash College (IN) or host Wash U.