The Webster University women's basketball team got off to a good start on its winter trip, whisking by Whittier College, 63-43, on December 28 in Whittier, CA.  The temperature may be heading to 0 in St. Louis, but it was sunny and 80 degrees as the Gorloks won the first of three games on their trip to Southern California.

Aley Lucas, who leads the team with a 15.0 average, had a team-high 18 points.  She was 6-7 from the field as she also added six rebounds and four assists.  Taylor Lucas had the team-high in rebounds with eight, and also added 11 points.  Kelsey Miller (SR, Elizabeth, IN/South Central) had five assists and hit double figures in points with 10.

Whittier took an early lead in the first period but a jumper by Megan Brandt (SR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) at 5:55 gave Webster a 7-5 lead as it never looked back.  The Gorloks led 23-13 to end the period and after a 5-0 run by the Poets to start the second period, Webster outscored them 18-6 the rest of the way for a 41-24 halftime lead.

In the third period, a pair of baskets and free throw by Taylor Lucas (SR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan), and a jumper by Aley Lucas (SR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan), quickly made it a 48-24 lead as the Gorloks doubled the Poets up at 6:05.  A lot of missed shots and turnovers by both teams later, the score still remained 48-24 with 1:44 left in the period.

After the Poets broke the drought with a three-pointer, Jaysea Morgan (SO, Fisk, MO/Twin Rivers) hit a lay up and the bonus free throw, but Whittier had the final four points and the period ended with Webster up, 51-31.  The Gorloks coasted in the fourth period as they wound up with the 63-43 win.

Webster forced a season-high 32 turnovers but was guilty of 25 miscues of its own.  Webster wound up with 19 steals in the game.  The Gorloks had a 30-18 edge in points off turnovers, though, and dominated in the paint, outscoring the Poets 20-6.

Webster is now 6-3 overall on the season.  Whittier, the alma mater of President Richard Nixon, is a member of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Webster plays Pomona-Pitzer College on December 29 and concludes the three-game trip, ending the year with a contest at Claremont Mudd-Scripps Colleges on December 31.