ROLLA, Mo. – Webster University began its 2018-19 women's basketball season here Saturday afternoon at Gibson Arena by dropping an exhibition contest 92-54 to NCAA Division II Missouri S&T. 
 
The Gorloks, who return just five players from last season's 20-7 team that won the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and advanced to the NCAA Tournament and have added 17 newcomers to its roster, held an early 4-1 lead in Saturday's contest, before the Miners closed out the first period by outscoring Webster, 22-11, to hold a 23-15 edge after the opening 10 minutes. 
 
In the first period, Webster scored the game's first basket just 18 seconds into the contest as freshman forward Taylor Zarr (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) drilled a trey off an assist from junior guard Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin Rivers). After S&T's Bria Pierce hit one-of-two free thows for the Miners first point of the game, freshman guard Hannah Cottrell (Steelville, Mo./Steelville) connected on two free throws to give WU a 5-1 lead.  
 
That lead would be short lived as the Miners responded with a 12-0 run to push in front 13-5. Morgan would stop S&T's run with a lay-up with 5:07 left in the period, but S&T would push its lead to as much as 10 with 29 seconds left in the period following a lay-up by Jordan Kabetske. 
 
Sophomore forward Darieana Hunter (Norman, Okla./Norman) and sophomore guard Naomi Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./Greenville University) each had nine points to pace the Gorloks. In addition to the nine points, Hunter added a game high 12 rebounds. 
 
Hunter is one of the five returners for the Gorloks this season as Webster welcomes back just just 17 percent of its points, 17.7 percent of its rebounds and just 11.5 percent of its minutes played from last season's team. The other returners from last season that played on Saturday were Morgan and sophomore guard Kiara Rhines (Glendale, Ariz./Ironwood). The three others returners - redshirt sophomore forward Kaylee Heggemann (Washington, Mo./Three Rivers CC) sat out due to injury, while sophomore guard Jasmine Bishop (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) is ineligible for the first semester and sophomore forward Hayley Taylor (Highland, Ill./Highland) is currently playing volleyball for the  a member of Webster's volleyball team. 
 
Morgan, who is the team's leading returning scorer from last season as she averaged 8.4 points per game, had six points and three steals in 28 minutes before fouling out early in the fourth period.
 
In the second period, S&T outscored Webster, 30-17 to take a 53-32 lead at the half. In the second period, Webster shot just 21 percent from the field and was 11-for-14 (78.6 percent) from the free throw line. S&T shot 67 percent from the floor and 88 percent at the foul line.
 
The Miners put the game away in the third period as they outscored the Gorloks, 21-6 to push its lead to 74-38 heading into the final 10 minutes. WU was just 1-for-16 from the field and 0-for-5 from the 3-point line in the period. 
 
Hunter and Johnson combined for eight of Webster's 16 fourth period points as the Gorloks were outscored by two points, 18-16, in the period. 
 
In addition to Hunter and Johnson, Cottrell finished with eight points and five boards, but committed 10 turnovers as Webster had 33 turnovers in the game. S&T, though, was also careless with the ball as they had 30 turnovers, but held  a 37-19 edge in points off turnovers. 
 
Zarr and freshman guard Lauryn Freeman (Fort Worth, Texas/Timber Creek) each added seven points in the exhibition contest. 
 
For the game, Webster shot 27 percent from the field and 7.7 percent (1-for-13) from the 3-point line and was 23-for-32 at the foul line. In fact, both teams shot 34 free throws in the game as the teams were whistled for a combined 57 fouls and three Gorloks fouled out of the game. 
 
S&T shot 48 percent from the floor and 35 percent from the 3-point line and 75 percent (24-for-32) at the free throw line.
 
The Miners had five played in double figures paced buy Marta Durk tallying 17 points and six assists. In addition to Durk, Michaela Davis had 15 points, five boards and seven turnovers and Pierce added 14 points and seven boards. The other double figure scorers were Kaberske and Maddie Raley, who each had 10 points and combined for nine boards as the Miners outrebound the Gorloks, 47-33. 
 
Webster will now turn its attention to the regular season as they officially tip-off its 2018-19 season on Friday, Nov. 16 with a 6 p.m. home game against Belhaven University as part of the season opening Webster Tip-off Classic at Grant Gymnasium.