WEBSTER GROVES - Webster University concluded its three-game homestand here Wednesday evening as the Gorloks ran past Iowa Wesleyan 85-65 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball action at Grant Gymnasium.

With the victory, Webster extends its home court win streak to eight straight games and improves its record to 14-4 overall and 8-2 in the SLIAC, while Iowa Wesleyan falls to 3-13 overall and 2-8 in the league. In fact. since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, Webster has posted a 19-3 record at home in SLIAC play and has posted a 34-5 overall record at home over that same time frame.

in Wednesday's game, Webster never trailed as they jumped in front 14-0 and led by as much as 19 points in the opening quarter as the Gorloks scored 31 points in the quarter and then the two teams played nearly even over the final three quarters as Webster outscored IWU, 54-52. 

Webster's offense, which has now scored 80 or more points in five of its eight SLIAC wins,was paced by freshman forward Addison Beussink (Jackson, Mo./Saxony Lutheran), who scored 21 points and added eight boards. Beussink, who scored 16 of her 21 points in the first half, has now tallied a team best three games of scoring 20 or more points this season and leads the team with 14 double-digit scoring efforts.

In addition to Beussink, sophomore guard Naomi Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./Greenville University) added 11 points, while redshirt sophomore forward Kaylee Heggemann (Washington, Mo./Three Rivers CC) and freshman guard Hannah Cottrell (Steelville, Mo./Steelville) each had 10 points in the win.

Along with the 10 points, Cottrell added a career high seven assists and a school record nine steals. The nine steals bettered the old school record of eight which was held by eight players and most recently set by Megan Brandt against Greenville in 2016. 

For the game, Webster collected 28 steals as they forced 35 turnovers and scored 45 points off those turnovers. The Gorloks finished with 15 turnovers in the game.

The Tigers duo of Darby Massner and her younger sister, Allie Massner, combined to score 51 of IWU's 65 points as Allie tallied a game high 27 points and added seven boards, while Darby, who entered the game averaging 16.0 points per game, finished with a double-double of 24 points and 14 rebounds. The Massner sisters combined for 26 of IWU's 32 second half points. 

Webster's 14-0 run to open the game was keyed by six points from Beussink and after Darby Massner scored IWU's first three points after she was fouled on a 3-point shot attempt, the Gorloks would use 15-7 run capped by a basket from Heggemann to take a 29-10 lead with 21 seconds left in the first quarter. Heggemann scored five of WU's 14 points during the run. Allie Massner would drill a trey with nine seconds left in the quarter to pull within 29-13, before Heggemann completed the scoring in the quarter a lay-up right before the buzzer. 

In the opening quarter, Heggemann (9) and Beussink (8) combined for 17 of the Gorloks 31 points, while Darby Massner had eight of her team's 13 points. 

Allie Massner would score 10 points in the second period as the Tigers outscored the Gorloks, 20-19, to drop Webster's halftime lead to 50-33. 

While the Massner sisters combined for 25 points in the first half, Beussink and Heggemann combined for 26 points in the opening half. 

The Gorloks opened the third quarter on a 15-7 run to push its lead to 65-40 with 5:10 left in the period. The run began with a lay-up from Beussink and was capped by a lay-up from freshman forward Taylor Zarr (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville). IWU would respond with a 9-1 run to pull within 66-49 with 3:23 left in the quarter. All nine of IWU's points were scored by the Massner sisters. 

Webster would push its lead to 69-49 at the end of the third quarter thanks to a trey from freshman guard Caity Jones (West Plains, Mo./Thayer) with 3:06 left in the period. Neither team would score in the final three minutes as the teams combined for four turnovers and nine missed shots. 

The Gorloks would open the fourth quarter by scoring 12 of the first 17 points to extend its lead to 81-54 following two free throws by Johnson with 5:40 left in the quarter. The 27 point lead was the largest of the game for the Gorloks. 

IWU, though, would outscore the Gorloks, 11-4 over the final five minutes of the game to set the final margin as the Massner sisters combined to score 12 of IWU's 16 fourth quarter points. 

Webster finished the game shooting 42 percent from the field, but just 23 percent (3-for-13) from the 3-point line, while Iowa Wesleyan shot 45 percent from the field and 41 percent (9-for-22) from long distance. It marked just the fifth time this season that Webster was outshot by their opponent, but the first tme it happened in a victory.

The Gorloks held a 44-36 edge on the glass, including collecting 24 offensive boards and scoring 21 second chance points. 

Along with the 28 steals, Webster also had 24 assists on 35 made baskets as along with Cottrell's seven assists, junior guard Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin Rivers) has six assists.

Both teams shot over 70 percent from the free throw line as IWU shot 83 percent (10-for-12) from the line, while WU shot 71 percent (12-for-17) from the charity stripe. 

The Gorloks will return to road this coming Saturday, Jan. 26 as they travel to Jacksonville, Ill., for a 1 p.m. game at MacMurray College. WU earned a 99-45 win at Grant Gymnasium over the Highlanders earlier this season. In that game, MacMurray committed 54 turnovers and Webster picked up a season high 30 steals in the win.