The Webster University women's basketball team put up a gutsy performance at Eureka College but lost, 68-64, on February 1 at Eureka, IL.  The Red Devils held off the Gorloks to remain undefeated in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Conference as Webster battles for a SLIAC tournament spot.

The game came down to the final minutes of play.  The Red Devils took a four-point lead with a lay up at 1:40 in the fourth, but a pair of Taylor Lucas free throws at 0:56 made it 62-60.  A Eureka lay up at 0:39 made it 64-60, but Lucas (JR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) had a lay up at 0:26 to cut the deficit back to two. 

Eureka hit a pair of free throws at 0:26 to extend the lead back to four.  Kelsey Miller (JR, Elizabeth, IN/South Central) cut the deficit back to two with a lay up at 0:19 but Webster was forced to foul.  Eureka continued to hit its free throws down the stretch, hitting two more to extend the lead back to four, 68-64. and that was the final. 

The Red Devils were able to establish control early, taking an 18-5 lead before the Gorloks cut it to a 20-11 deficit after one period.  The Red Devils were able to handle the Gorlok pressure defense, turning the ball over five times to Webster's four miscues.  Webster was ice cold from the field, shooting 13.3% (2-13) while Eureka shot 56.3% (9-16).

Webster cut the deficit to 20-17 to open the second period, but Eureka extended the lead to 10 at 35-25 with 2:48 remaining in the half.  The Gorloks went on a 7-0 run to edge within three.  A Miller three, a Taylor Lucas lay up, and a Jaysea Morgan (FR, Fisk, MO/Twin Rivers) lay up at 0:24 made it 35-32.  Eureka hit a three with two seconds remaining to take a 38-32 halftime lead.

The Gorloks shot much better from the field in the frame at 55.5% (10-18), but were just 1-7 from the three-point line for the half.  Taylor Lucas led Webster with 12 points for the half.

The third period started well for the Gorloks as Webster tied the game at 42-42, at 6:29.  A pair of Taylor Lucas free throws gave Webster its first lead of the night, 47-45, at 3:35.  After Webster fell behind, a Natalie Busscher (SO, Mundelein, IL/Mundelein) three-pointer tied the contest at 50-50 at 1:01.  Taylor Lucas continued her scoring binge, entering the fourth with 20 points for the game.

A pair of Jade Sawyer (FR, Republic, MO/Springfield Republic) free throws put Webster on top to start the fourth but Eureka would regain the lead again as the Gorloks hung close throughout.  A pair of Busscher free throws at 1:59 made it a 60-58 Eureka advantage, leading up to the game's tense final two minutes.

Webster wound up forcing 26 Eureka turnovers, scoring 24 points off of them, and had 12 steals.  The Gorloks also went 17-19 (89.5%) at the free throw line but finished 3-19 from the three point-line, while the Red Devils hit 7-18 beyond the arc.  Eureak also had a 37-24 advantage in rebounds.

Taylor Lucas finished with a career-high 26 points and had four rebounds for Webster. 

Webster is now 6-5 in the SLIAC and bunched up with the middle of the pack, trying to finish in the top four for a SLIAC Tournament berth.  The Gorloks are 14-6 overall.  Eureka is now 10-0 in the SLIAC and 14-5 overall.

The Gorloks are back home on February 4 to host Iowa Wesleyan University in the "Pink Out" game.  Various fund-raising activities will be going on to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  It is also Hall of Fame Day, with five new members of the Webster Athletics Hall of Fame being inducted that evening.