MOUNT PLEASANT, IOWA - Webster University outscored Iowa Wesleyan University 18-5 in the third period en route to posting a 70-45 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory here Saturday afternoon over the Tigers at Ruble Arena on the IWU campus.
 
Saturday's game featured a combined 54 fouls being called and the team s combined to shoot 59 free throws, including WU going 23-for-28 from the charity stripe, including making 19 trips to the line in the second period and making 15 of those free throws. IWU finished 22-for-31 at the line, including going 17-for-24 at the line after halftime.
 
The five points scored by IWU in the third period was the fewest allowed by the Gorloks since allowing three points to the Tigers in the second period of its 83-45 home win earlier this season. All five of IWU's third period points came from the foul line as they were 0-for-7 from field.
 
With the victory, Webster improves to 15-5 overall and 9-3 in the SLIAC, while Iowa Wesleyan falls to 4-16 overall and 4-8 SLIAC.
 
In the win, the Gorloks placed three players in double figures, including senior forward Aley Lucas (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan) and sophomore guard Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin River) each scoring 15 points, while senior forward Taylor Lucas (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan) added 13 points. Aley Lucas also pulled down a team-high eight boards.  
 
After holding 33-22 lead at the half, Webster opened the third period by scoring the first nine points to push its lead to 42-22. After IWU used two free throws from LaStella Slack to stop the Gorloks' run, WU would respond by scoring nine of the next 12 points to push its lead to 26 points at 51-25 following a free throw from senior guard Kelsey Miller (Elizabeth, Ind./Maryville Univ.). IWU closed the period with two free throws from Josie Zerrusen to drop WU's lead to 51-27 heading into the final period.
 
In the fourth period, the two teams combined to shoot 22 free throws, including 18 by the Tigers. IWU would open the period by scoring the first five points, including hitting its first two field goals of the half to pull within 51-32 with 6:28 left in the game.
 
The Gorloks, though, would finally score its first points on the period on as 3-pointer by Aley Lucas with 6:10 left in the game. Lucas' trey would key an 8-4 run by the Gorloks that pushed their lead to 60-38 with 4:01 remaining.
 
IWU would answer by scoring four of the next six points to pull within 62-42, before WU outscored the Tigers, 8-3, over the final two minutes of the game to push its final margin to 25 points. The Gorloks' closing run began with back-to-back 3-pointers from senior guard Brittney Zipprich (Bethalto, Ill./Civic Memorial) and was capped by two free throws from freshman forward Hayley Taylor (Highland, Ind./Highland).
 
IWU was paced offensively by Zerrusen, who finished with 15 points and added seven rebounds, while Darby Massner added 11 points and nine boards off the bench.
 
Both teams struggled shooting the ball for the game as Webster finished the contest connecting on just 32.2 percent (19-for-59) of its field goals, while IWU shot 31.4 percent (11-for-35) from the field. Nine of WU's 19 field goals were 3-pointers as the Gorlok shot 42.9 percent from long distance, including hitting five of their nine treys in the first half.
 
Despite its struggles shooting the ball, the Gorloks defense forced the Tigers into 25 turnovers that led to 26 points, including scoring 17 points off of 16 IWU turnovers in the first half. WU finished with 15 steals, but was outrebounded, 34-27, including Ahlia Tan picking up a game-hgih 11 boards for the Tigers.
 
IWU scored the game's first four points, before the Gorlok two straight treys and used a basket from Taylor Lucas to take an 8-7 lead. After Stack gave the Tigers a 9-8 lead on a basket with 4:38 left in the first period, WU responded with a 7-0 run that was keyed by two treys from freshman guard Kylie Shoot (Ashland, Mo. / Southern Boone) to take a 15-9 lead with 3:14 left in the period.
 
Following a basket from Ahlia Tai dropped WU's lead to 15-11 with 2:51 left, the Gorloks closed the opening period with three free throws from Morgan after she was fouled on a 3-point shot attempt with 2:05 left in the period. Morgan's free throws gave WU an 18-11 lead.
 
The Gorloks opened the second period on a 7-2 run to take a 25-13 lead just three minutes into the second period. The run was capped by a trey from Morgan, the fifth of the first half for the Gorloks. IWU would answer WU's run by closing the first period on a 9-8 run to drop the Gorloks lead to 33-22 at the half.

Webster will return home to Grant Gymnasium to complete the home portion of its schedule next week as they host Spalding in a 6 p.m. game on Wednesday, Feb. 7 and then welcome MacMurray College for Senior Day at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10.