The Webster University women's basketball team got off to a good start in the Webster Tip-Off Classic, defeating Lindenwood University-Belleville 87-57. After a slow start, the Gorloks pressure cooker defense and fast break offense got into high gear as they ran away from the Lynx. Aley Lucas led Webster with 21 points on 7-11 shooting.
The Gorloks trailed after one period, 19-11. The team picked up a little momentum in the final moments of the session when Jaysea Morgan (SO, Fisk, MO/Twin Rivers) had a steal and a lay up with 10 seconds left to cut the deficit to eight. Webster shot 20.8% for the period.
Webster fell into a 26-13 hole two minutes into the second, but a nifty drive through the key for a lay up by Jade Sawyer (SO, Republic, MO/Republic), a follow up free throw after she was fouled, and a three pointer by Kelsey Miller (SR, Elizabeth, IN/South Central) quickly cut the deficit to 26-19. Things really picked up from there.
A steal and lay up by Kylie Shoot (FR, Ashland, MO/Southern Boone), followed by another Webster steal and an Aley Lucas (SR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) lay up, made it 28-24. A lay up and free throw by Shoot, off another Gorlok steal, made it 32-29, and another lay up by Aley Lucas cut the deficit to one at 32-21. A three-pointer by Megan Brandt (JR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) gave Webster its first lead since the opening minutes, 36-35. A pair of Ebony Bailey (SR, Dolton, IL/Seton Academy) stretched it to 38-35.
Aley Lucas finished the period with three straight free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt with .03 on the clock to give Webster a 43-37 halftime lead. The Gorloks played their game in the period, forcing 11 Lynx turnovers and picking up nine steals. Webster shot 11-21 from the field and picked up nine assists on those baskets, outscoring Lindenwood-Belleville, 32-18. Aley Lucas was the high scorer with 14 points for the half.
The Gorloks continued putting the pressure on the Lynx in the third period. A three-point play off a basket and free throw by Bailey, and a pair of three-pointers by Aley Lucas gave Webster a 62-43 lead with 3:40 left in the third. Lucas added seven more points, giving her 21 in the contest as Webster led 67-48 after three. The Gorloks tacked on eight more forced turnovers and grabbed four more steals in the period.
Things got worse for the Lynx as the Gorloks pressure defense continued to wear them down in the fourth period. Webster opened up a 30-point lead as they ran away with the 87-57 win.
After Lucas' 21, Taylor Lucas (SR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) had 13 points and a team-high 11 rebounds and five assists. Miller and Brandt also hit double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Miller had a team-high five steals.
Webster wound up with 21 steals and 30 forced turnovers for Lindenwood-Belleville. The Gorloks outrebounded the Lynx, 49-47.
Webster was 19-7 in 2016-17, the third most wins in program history, and the most since the 2004-05 season. Lindenwood University-Belleville was 22-10 in 2016-17. An NAIA athletic scholarship program, they are members of the American Midwest Conference
Webster will play Ripon College (WI) to complete play in the Classic on November 18 at 3:00 p.m. The Gorloks travel to Rock Island, IL, to play Augustana College on November 25, then open play in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on November 29 at Westminster College in Fulton, MO.
