WEBSTER GROVES - The Webster University men's basketball team begins the final week of the 2017-18 regular season Wednesday night as they travel to Carlinville, Ill., for a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match-up against Blackburn College. Wednesday's game is scheduled to tip-off at 8 p.m. at Dawes Gymnasium.
The Gorloks enter Wednesday's second to last regular season game of the season having won two straight and five of its last six games with its only setback being an 88-83 loss on Feb. 3 at Iowa Wesleyan. The Gorloks are currently sitting in a tie for third place in the league standings with Westminster. With one victory in its final two games of the regular season, Webster will earn one of four spots in the SLIAC Tournament.
Wednesday's game will be the second meeting this season between the two schools as the Gorloks earned a 76-73 overtime win at home over the Beavers on Jan. 13. In addition, it will also mark the 57th all-time meeting between the two schools as Webster holds a 29-27 edge in the series, including current Gorlok head coach
Chris Bunch being 21-11 against Blackburn.
The Gorloks, who come into the contest averaging 75.7 points per game, are shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from the 3-point line, continue to be one of the better defensive teams in the SLIAC as they are allowing 77 points per game, which is third best in the league. In addition, Webster leads the league in blocked shots (5.0 per game), is fourth in steals (7.4 per game) and second in rebound margin (+3.8) and is third in assists at 19.3 per game.
Leading the way for the Gorloks is sophomore guard
Josh Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./Clayton) is averaging 13.3 points per game, while freshman forward
Nigel Wilcox (Alpharetta, Ga./Centennial) is averaging 13.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and a league-best 2.4 blocks per game and has had five double-doubles. His 52 blocks is third most on the school's single season chart. Other key performers for the Gorloks are freshman guard
Christian Crespo (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach), who is averaging 12.9 points per game and is shooting 42.6 percent from the 3-point line and senior forward
Davian Joseph (Philadelphia, Pa./Lewis & Clark CC), who was named this week's SLIAC Player of the Week, is averaging 8.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game and has 24 blocked shots.
Blackburn comes into the game having lost two straight games and are averaging 80.3 points per game and are shooting 45.8 percent from the floor and 35.2 percent from the 3-point line. Much like Webster, Blackburn is also strong on defense as they average 9.3 steals per game, 2.9 blocks per game, a +2.4-rebound margin and are allowing its foes to shoot 44.7 percent from the field. Leading the way for Blackburn is junior guard Duncan King, who is averaging 13.6 points and 3.3 assists per game, while sophomore guard Karson Hayes is averaging 13.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game and senior forward Malcolm Scott averages 10.2 points and 7.9 boards per contest.
Following Wednesday's game, the Gorloks will close the regular season with a 5 p.m. game on Saturday, Feb. 17 at SLIAC leader Greenville (15-8 overall, 12-4 SLIAC). Greenville sits one game in front of Eureka (11-5) and two games in front of both Webster and Westminster, who are each 10-6 in the SLIAC.
