ELSAH, Ill. – Webster University concluded non-conference play here Tuesday evening by tying a season high with eight three-pointers and shooting a season high 55 percent from the field en route to posting a 97-40 victory over Principia College at Hays Fieldhouse on the Principia College campus. 
 
With the win, Webster improves to 17-7 on the season and finishes non-conference play with a 7-2 mark. Principia fell to 1-19 on the season. 
 
In Tuesday's win, five Gorloks scored in double figures, including sophomore guard Kiara Rhines (Glendale, Ariz./Ironwood) and freshmen guards Caity Jones (West Plains, Mo./Thayer) and Hannah Cottrell (Steelville, Mo./Steelville) each scoring 12 points. The 12 points by Rhines and Jones were both career highs. 
 
Along with those three players with 12 points, redshirt sophomore forward Kaylee Heggemann (Washington, Mo./Three Rivers) added 11 points and sophomore forward Darieana Hunter (Norman, Okla./Norman) chipped in with 10 points in the win.
 
Rhines, who celebrated her 20th birthday on Tuesday, went 5-for-5 from the field and was 2-for-2 from the 3-point line, while Jones, who started the game 1-for-6 from the field and 1-3 from downtown, finished the game 4-for-10 from the floor and 3-for-5 from the 3-point line. Jones and Rhines combined for 19 points in the second half.
 
In the game, 16 of the 17 players that saw scored at least a point and Webster's bench outscored the Principia bench, 54-2. The 54 bench points were the second highest of the season as the Gorloks scored 57 bench points in its 99-45 win over MacMurray on Dec. 5. 
 
For the game, Webster shot a season high 54.9 percent from the field, including shooting 62 percent from the field in the second half. Additionally, Webster shot 47 percent (8-for-17) from the 3-point line. 
 
The Gorloks broke open a close game in the opening six minutes of the second quarter as they used a 20-6 run to turn its 19-13 lead after the first quarter into a 39-19 advantage. The run began with a trey from sophomore guard Naomi Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./Greenville University) and was capped by a 3-pointer from Jones. 
 
After the Panthers scored four of the next six points to cut WU's lead to 41-23, Cottrell capped the first half scoring with a lay-up to give the Gorloks a 43-23 halftime lead. 
 
Webster flexed its muscles in the third quarter as they outscored the Panthers, 30-9, to hold a 73-32 edge after three quarters. In the quarter, Webster shot 63 percent from the field and 80 percent (4-for-5) from the 3-point line and forced 14 turnovers that led to 18 points. In addition, Webster had 11 steals and 10 assists in the quarter, including junior guard Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin Rivers) picking up five of those steals. Morgan finished the game with a career high seven steals.
In the fourth quarter, Webster outscored Principia, 24-8 as they led by as much as 59 points following a lay-up by sophomore guard Jasmine Bishop (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) with 1:59 left in the game. Bishop's lay-up gave the Gorloks a 97-38 lead. The 59 point lead is the largest of the season for the Gorloks. 
 
Webster shot 60 percent from the field and was 1-for-1 from the 3-point line in the fourth quarter and held Principia to just 23 percent shooting from the field and forced seven turnovers that led to nine points. 
 
Nikki Matters led Principia with 14 points, while Sophia Hathaway added 12 points. Sabrina Netherwood pulled down a game high eight boards and added nine points in the loss. 
 
Along with her seven steals, Morgan finished with eight points, while Johnson and freshman forward Addison Beussink (Jackson, Mo./Saxony Lutheran) each had six points. 
 
While Webster shot 55 percent from the field and 47 percent from the 3-point line, Principia shot 34 percent from the floor and were 0-for-2 from the 3-point line. 
 
Webster held a 37-26 edge on the glass and they forced the Panthers into 41 turnovers that led to 52 points and they also collected 25 steals as along with seven by Morgan, Cottrell had five steals. 
 
The Gorloks finished the game with 30 assists on 39 made baskets, including freshman guard Lauryn Freeman (Fort Worth, Texas/Timber Creek) recording a career high seven assists. In fact, 13 Gorloks recorded at least one assist in the game. 
 
Webster will close out the 2018-19 regular season this coming Saturday, Feb. 16 as they return to St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and host Greenville University (19-4 overall, 13-1 SLIAC) in a 1 p.m. game at Grant Gymnasium. Greenville picked up a 73-68 win over the Gorloks in Greenville, Ill., on Jan. 16.