The Webster University men's basketball team lost a key St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup, falling to Blackburn College, 65-60, on February 11 at Grant Gym. The loss drops the Gorloks into a tie for fourth place with Blackburn and Principia College at 9-7 in the SLIAC.

Blackburn would take a halftime lead and though Webster would tie the game in the second, it never managed to take a lead.  Webster, Blackburn and Principia are in fourth place, battling for the fourth and final spot in the SLIAC post-season tournament.  Principia College defeated MacMurray College, 90-89, to keep pace also.

An Adam Etter (SR, Albers, IL/Mater Dei) basket gave Webster a 17-15 lead at 10:36 in the first half, but Blackburn would go on a 16-0 run to take at 31-17 advantage.  Evan Milligan (SO, Evansville, IN/Evansville Central) would finally break the Gorlok drought at 5:27 and would follow that up with another to cut the deficit to 31-21 at 4:55. 

Blackburn was quick to call a timeout and responded with a lay up for the Beavers, but Jonathan Odjo (SR, West Palm Beach, FL/Suncoast) was all net on a three-pointer to pull Webster within nine, at 33-24.  Milligan would have a block and rebound on the Blackburn end, and followed it up with a jumper to cut the deficit to eight, 36-28, with 2:00 left in the half.  Blackburn took a 38-29 lead into the locker room.  The Gorloks had a tough time on the boards for the half, with the Beavers holding a wide 25-11 advantage. 

The Beavers extended their lead to 11 points early in the second before the Gorloks started chipping away.  Xavier Dortch (SR, Stockton, AL/Faulkner St) basket brought the Gorloks within four, at 44-40, at 14.15, prompting a Blackburn timeout.  A basket by Enrique Tankins (FR, Wentzville, MO/Timberland) tied the game at 50-50 at 8:04.  The Beavers answered with a three to snatch the lead back.  Another Blackburn three at 5:26 made it a 56-52 game.

Another timely three by the Beavers at 3:05 gave them a 61-53 advantage.  A Milligan lay up at 1:36 cut the deficit to 61-57 and Webster quickly called a timeout.  Blackburn hit a pair of free throws at 1:20 but another Milligan lay up at 1:05 kept it a four-point game. Webster got a stop at the other end, but had a costly turnover with 0:26 remaining.  The Gorloks fouled with 0:16 left and the Beavers obliged by missing the free throw.  Tankins was fouled with 0:09 on the clock and hit one to make it a 63-60 game.  Webster quickly fouled but Blackburn hit its free throws this time and put the game out of reach.. 

The Beavers wound up shooting 9-18 (50%) from the three-point line as the Gorloks finished at 1-6.

Milligan finished with 22 points on the afternoon, and had six rebounds and two blocks.  Odjo and Tony Jones (SR, Raymore, MO/Raymore-Peculiar) each had seven points, with Jones pulling down eight rebounds and adding three blocks.

The Gorloks had defeated Blackburn in Carlinville, IL, 88-85, on January 11.  Webster is 9-7 in the SLIAC and is now 12-11 overall.

The Gorloks final two regular season games are on February 15 and 18 as Webster hosts MacMurray College and Fontbonne University.