WEBSTER GROVES - Webster University Women's Basketball used a jumper from about 18 feet with 32 seconds left by sophomore guard Naomi Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./Greenville University) and a block by freshman guard Hannah Cottrell (Steelville, Mo./Steelville) on a game winning shot attempt with less than a second left to seal the Gorloks 71-70 win here Saturday afternoon over Westminster (Mo.) College in a match-up against two of the top teams in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference at Grant Gymnasium. 

With the win, Webster extends its win streak to four straight games and improves its record to 10-3 overall and 5-1 in the SLIAC, while Westminster, who entered the game as one of the two remaining undefeated teams in the SLIAC, falls to 10-3 overall and 5-1 in the league. The victory also extended Webster's home court win streak in SLIAC play to seven straight games dating to last season.

Johnson's basket with 32 seconds left, which came 23 seconds after Kendahl Adams have given the Blue Jays a 70-69 lead on a lay-up, gave the Gorloks a 71-70 advantage. 

On the ensuing possession by Westminster, Adams would turn the ball over with 15 seconds remaining, but the Gorloks were unable to capitalize on the turnover as Webster turned the ball over on an offensive foul by junior guard Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin Rivers) with six seconds left in the game. Morgan's turnover set up Cottrell's block on Kailee Dowler's game winning shot attempt from the right wing. Dowler, who entered the game averaging nearly 18 points per game in SLIAC play, was held to five points on Saturday.

"What a tremendous game today between two really good teams," Webster head coach Jordan Olufson said. "I thought our players really stepped up and made key plays late in the game that helped us earn this win." 

Johnson, who finished with 17 points, including scoring 15 of those points in the second half, was one of four Gorloks to score in double digits in the win. In fact, all 71 of Webster's points were scored by its starters as its bench did not score a point in the game for the first time this season.

In addition to Johnson, freshman forward Addison Beussink (Jackson, Mo./Saxony Lutheran) led the way with a game and career-high 21 points, including scoring of those points in the first half. Along with Beussink, redshirt sophomore forward Kaylee Heggemann (Washington, Mo./Three Rivers CC) had 15 points, including 12 of them in the opening half and Morgan finished with 13 points. 

Webster led for almost the entire game until Adams hit two free throws with 3:38 left in the game to give the Blue Jays a 66-64 lead. Adams' free throws capped an 16-4 run by the Blue Jays, which began after Webster had taken a 10 point lead at 60-50 following a trey from Heggemann just 24 seconds into the fourth period. 

After Westminster took its first lead of the game, the Gorloks would resond with a 3-pointer by Johnson with 2:26 left in the contest to give WU a 67-66 lead. Mirrakohl Johnson gave the Blue Jays the lead against 25 seconds later on a a lay-up. 

Morgan would score a lay-up with 1:17 left in the game to give the Gorloks a 69-68 lead, but Adams would help her team retake the lead about 22 seconds later on a lay-up to set up Johnson's game-winning basket. 

Johnson led the way offensively for Westminster with 20 points and added nine rebounds, while Adams tallied 18 points and Rei Imamura finished with 14 points in the loss. Adams and Johnson combined to score 22 of Westminster's 39 second half points. 

Early on in Saturday's game it didn't appear late game heroics would be necessary as the Gorloks scored the game's first points in the opening 66 seconds and led 16-6 just about six minutes into the game. WU's opening run was aided by six points apiece from both Heggemann and Beussink. 

The Blue Jays would pull within 16-9 with 2:41 left in the opening period, before the Gorloks closed the first period on a 7-6 run to hold a 23-15 lead just 10 minutes into the contest. 

Westminster would respond by opening the second period on an 11-3 run to tie the game at 26 following two free throws with 5:42 left in the period by Johnson. 

WU, though, responded with back-to-back lay-ups by Cottrell and Morgan to push its lead to 30-26 with 4:20 remaining in the period and the Gorloks would eventually push its lead to 35-29 following a lay-up by Beussink with 30 seconds left in the second period. Johnson would cap the scoring for the Blue Jays on a lay-up with 11 seconds left to give the Gorloks a 35-31 lead at the half. 

After Jonnson cut Webster's lead to 35-33 just 19 seconds in the third period, the Gorloks answered with an 11-3 run to push its lead to 46-36 with 6:10 left in the period. The run began with a lay-up by Beussink and was capped by a 1-of-2 free throws from Beussink. 

Westminster, who was now lost three straight games to the Gorloks in the series, responded with a 7-0 run to cut WU's lead to three at 46-43 with 4:29 remaining in the period. The Gorloks would come right back with a 10-2 run that was keyed by two treys from Johnson to push in front 56-45 with 2:13 left in the period. 

The Blue Jays would score three of the final five points in the third period to give the Gorloks a 57-48 lead after three periods. 

Webster finished the game shooting 48 percent from the field and 39 percent from the 3-point line, while Westminster shot 44 percent from the field and made just five of its 14 3-point shot attempts. The Blue Jays entered the game leading the league in made three-pointers per game as they were averaging 9.5 per game. 

The Blue Jays held a 37-34 edge on the glass and Webster forced 18 turnovers that led to 23 points. Webster tied a season low with 16 turnovers. 

Cottrell led the Gorloks with eight boards, while Beussink and Heggemann each had seven in the game. 

Both teams shot under 70 percent from the line as Webster shot just 12 free throws and was 6-for-12 (50 percent) from the line, while Westminster was 15-for-23 (65 percent) from the line. Webster did not shoot a free throw in the fourth period. 

The Gorloks will look to make it five straight wins as they hit the road for the first time in the New Year on Wednesday, Jan. 9 with a 5:30 p.m. game in Carlinville, Ill., against Blackburn College.