ELSAH, Ill. - Webster University's Josh Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./Clayton) picked the right night to set a career high in scoring as the senior guard tallied a game high 35 points to help propel the Gorloks to a hard-fought 94-78 victory over Principia College in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action at Hay Field House on the Principia campus.

Johnson, who returned to the line-up in this past Saturday's 78-65 win at home over Fontbonne after missing the previous two games due to a shoulder injury, went 11-for-17 from the field, including a 6-for-9 effort from the 3-point line and was 7-for-8 from the free throw against the Panthers to better his old career high of 31 points, which ironically was set in last year's regular season finale at home against Principia. Johnson scored 22 of his 35 points after halftime.

With the victory, Webster extends its win streak to three straight games and improves its record to 5-7 overall and 4-1 in the SLIAC. Principia falls to 1-10 overall and 0-5 in the SLIAC.

In addition to Johnson's career high 35 points, senior forward Enrique Tankins (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland) added 18 points, including going 8-for-8 from the free throw line over the final two-plus minutes of the game. The other two double-digit scorers for Webster were junior forward Rodson Etienne (West Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach), who had 14 points, including 11 in the second half and freshman guard Wynne Brown, Jr. (Memphis, Tenn./Bartlett) had 10 points, five rebounds and five assists. 

In Tuesday's game, both teams shot over 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from the 3-point line, but the difference in game came at the free throw line as Webster went 19-for-23 (83 percent) at the line, including going 17-for-19 from the line in the second half, while Principia was 10-for-19 (53 percent) at the line, including a 4-for-10 effort from the charity stripe after halftime. 

For the game, Webster shot 54 percent from the floor and a season high 53 percent from the 3-point line as the Gorloks made a season high nine treys, including Johnson's six 3-pointers. Principia shot 53 percent from the field and 46 percent (10-for-22) from the 3-point line. 

After shooting 58 percent from the field and hitting four 3-pointers to hold a 44-37 lead at the half, the Gorloks watched Principia open the second half on an 11-0 run keyed by three treys from Payton Sellers to give the Panthers a 48-44 lead just two-plus minutes into the second half. 

The Gorloks, though, responded with a 13-2 run keyed by six points apiece from Etienne and Johnson to take a 57-50 lead with 14:48 left in the game. Principia would answer with a 5-0 run capped by a basket from Brennan Paulson to cut WU's lead to 57-55 with 14 minutes remaining.

That run by the Panthers seemed to ignite the Gorloks as Webster used a 16-9 run over the next six-plus minutes to push its lead to 73-64 following a dunk by Etienne. After A.J. Byrd brought the Panthers within seven at 73-66 following his lay-up with 6:48 left, the Gorloks responded with a 9-2 run that was capped by seven straight points from Johnson to give Webster an 82-67 lead with 3:58 remaining. 

After TreVaughn Goodman hit two free throws 10 seconds later to drop WU's lead to 82-69, Johnson and Tankins would then go a combined 8-for-8 at the line over the final two-plus minutes to push its lead to as much as 16 points on four different occasions. 

Principia got off a strong start in Tuesday's game as they scored nine of the first 12 points to lead 9-3 just three minutes into the game. The Gorloks, though, would use a 7-3 run capped by a lay-up from Etienne with 15:51 left in the game. 

Webster's lead was short lived as Principia scored eight of the next nine points to take an 18-13 lead with 13:53 left in the opening half. Johnson would then score five straight points to begin a 14-1 run by the Gorloks to push out to a 27-19 lead. The run began with a trey from Johnson and was capped by a trey from senior guard Aron Hopp (Lincoln, Ill./Lincoln College). 

The Panthers would pull within 29-26 with 8:03 left in the half, before Webster closed the first half on a 15-11 run to take a 44-37 lead at the half. 

Sellers paced Principia with 22 points, while Byrd added 19 points and Goodman, who entered the game averaging 19.1 points per game, finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Goodman scored 12 of his 15 points after halftime. 

Webster finished with a 35-26 edge on the boards and forced Principia into 16 turnovers that led to 19 Webster points. The Gorloks also had a 13-8 edge on second chance points as Webster pulled down 11 offensive boards. 

The Gorloks will look to make it four consecutive wins this coming Saturday, Jan. 11 as Webster will host Westminster (Mo.) College (4-6 overall, 3-1 SLIAC) for a 3 p.m. SLIAC contest at Grant Gymnasium.