The Webster University men's basketball team coasted in its tune-up for the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament with a 93-70 win over Fontbonne University, on February 18 at Grant Gym. The Gorloks will play Westminster College, who finished in second place, in the first round of the tournament on February 24.
The teams were battling back and forth early in the first half before an emphatic Tony Jones (SR, Raymore, MO/Raymore-Peculiar) slam at 14:41 put the Gorloks up, 14-11. Webster extended the lead to 22-13 at 10:41 on a Jones layup. After a Jones block and rebound of a Griffin shot, he was fouled and Fontbonne was called for a technical on the play as well. Rabasa Dobbins-Turner (SR, Memphis, TN./St. Benedict at Auburndale) hit both free throws to make it a 26-15 lead at 9:14.
A Xavier Dortch (SR, Stockton, AL/Faulkner St) basket and foul shot at 5:53 extended the Gorloks' lead to 17, at 34-17. A three-pointer by Dobbins-Turner at 5:04 made it a 37-19 Webster lead. A basket and foul shot by Evan Milligan (SO, Evansville, IN/Evansville Central) at 3:27 extended the advantage to 21, at 40-19. Tehvynn Crenshaw (SR, Mobile, AL/Murphy), Dobbins-Turner, and Dortch all had nine points for the half as Webster took a 48-23 lead into the locker room.
Webster shot 53.6% (15-28) for the half and were 17-18 (94.4%) from the free throw line.
Back to back three-pointers by Milligan to start the second half dashed any glimmer of hope for a Fontbonne comeback. Webster started the half with an 11-3 run in the first three minutes to take a 59-25 lead. Fontbonne would manage to chip the lead down to 69-41 before the Gorlok reserves extended it to 32, 89-57, on back to back to back three-pointers by Collin Tabor (SR, Brighton, CO.Brighton).
Crenshaw had a double double in his final home game appearance, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Milligan had a team-high 18 points and had four blocks, four rebounds, and four assists. Turner had 12 points and Dortch came off the bench for 11 and Jones for 10 points and four rebounds.
It was Senior Day and ten seniors were recognized in a pregame ceremony. La'Relle Brown (Woodbridge, IL/Downers Grove South), Tehvynn Crenshaw (Mobile, AL/Murphy), Dortch, Adam Etter (Albers, IL/Mater Dei), Jones, C.J. Moore (Hometead, FL/Miami Killian), Jonathan Odjo (West Palm Beach, FL/Suncoast), Tabor, Dobbins'Turner, and Hunter Ward (St. Louis, MO/Kirkwood) were all honored.
Gorloks tied for fourth place with an 11-7 record in the SLIAC, with Principia College, and are 14-11 overall. Iowa Wesleyan finished third but is not eligible for postseason play. Webster held the head to head tie-breaker with Principia to clinch the third seed. Webster will face Westminster at host Greenville College in Greenville, IL, while Principia will play Greenville in the other semi-final.
