WEBSTER GROVES - Webster University returned home for the first time in 17 days here Monday evening as the Gorloks watched Fontbonne go on a 19-0 run midway through the first half that turned an 18-17 lead into a 36-18 deficit en route to suffering a 79-67 loss to the Griffins in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action at Grant Gymnasium. 

With the loss, Webster falls to 4-4 overall and 4-3 in the SLIAC, while Fontbonne, who was playing its first game since March 12 due to COVID protocals, improved to 3-6 overall and 2-3 in the league. In addition, the setback also snapped Webster's 13 game homecourt win streak, which was tied for the fourth longest active streak in the Division III. Prior to Monday's setback, the Gorloks last loss at home was on Nov. 23, 2019 as they fell 65-58 to Hanover (Ind.) in the finale of the Webster Classic. 

It was the second time this season that the Gorloks lost to Fontbonne as the Griffins scored 46 first half points and shot 53 percent from the field in posting an 88-51 win on its home court on March 4. 

The first half run by Fontbonne was just one of the issues for the Gorloks in Monday's contest as the Gorloks were outrebounded by 20 boards as the Griffins held a 49-29 edge on the glass, including a 20-5 advantage on the offensive glass that led to a 22-8 edge in second chance points. The 20 rebound margin was the largest deficit for the Gorloks in a game since being outrebounded by 22 boards (63-41) in a 71-53 win at MacMurray on Jan. 10, 2018. 

Webster's offense, which outshot Fontbonne, 44 to 42 percent, from the field in the game was led offensively by sophomore guard Wynne Brown, Jr. (Memphis, Tenn./Bartlett) as he scored 14 points, but struggled shooting the ball as he was 5-for-14 from the field and 2-for-8 from the 3-point line. In addition to Brown, Jr., senior forward Rodson Etienne (West Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach) added 13 points, three blocks and four steals and junior guard/forward Stephen Hawkins (Cape Coral, Fla./Patrick Henry CC) had 11 rebounds.

With his 13 points, Etienne has now reached double figures in four consecutive games and those 13 points pushed his career total to 1,134 points, which is 11th on the school's all-time list as he passed Hall of Famer Scott Spinner, who scored 1,133 points as a Gorlok from 2003-07. 

The Gorloks jumped out to a 10-8 lead just five minutes into Monday's game, before Fontbonne used a 9-4 run to take a 17-14 lead following a lay-up by Caden Clark with 12:06 left in the first half. After the Gorloks took an 18-17 lead with 11:16 left in the half thanks to baskets by Brown, Jr., and senior forward Ethan Hughes (Union, Mo./Park University), Fontbonne would score 19 straight points to push out to a 36-18 lead with 5:25 left in the half. In fact, Webster was held scoreless for nearly six minutes during FBU's run. 

Following Fontbonne's run, the Gorloks would score six of the next eight points to pull within 38-24 after a basket by freshman guard Mark Moore (Hillsboro, Mo./Hillsboro) with 1:48 remaining in the first half. The Griffins would score four of the first half's final six points to hold a 42-26 lead at the half. 

The 26 first half point marked the second consecutive game that Webster was held under 30 points in the first half as they scored 25 first half points last time out at Spalding. 

After shooting 38 percent from the field in the first half, the Gorloks would shoot 50 percent from the floor and make five 3-pointers as they outscored FBU, 41-37 in the second half to cut Fontbone's final deficit to 12 points. 

Fontbonne would open the second half by scoring seven of the first 10 points to push in front 46-29 following a fastbreak lay-up by Gus Kleekamp just two-plus minutes in the half. 

The Gorloks, though, would respond as they used an 11-5 run keyed by back-to-back treys from Brown, Jr., to drop FBU's lead to 51-40 with 13:52 left in the game. Back-to-back baskets, including a dunk by Noah Coddington began an 18-8 run for the Griffins that was capped by a 3-pointer from Cody McKinney to push its lead to 69-48 with 6:19 remaining. The 21 point lead was the largest of the game for Fontbonne. 

Webster would try to mount another rally as they scored eight straight points to drop FBU's lead to 69-56. The run was capped by back-to-back lay-ups from Etienne and also featured a 3-pointer by freshman Colin Doss (Paducah, Ky./St. Mary's), which was Doss' first points of his collegiate career. 

Fontbonne, though, would answer right back as they used an 8-1 run that began with a trey from McKinney and was capped by a Kleekamp lay-up to push its lead to 77-57 with 2:32 left in the game. The Gorlloks tried to make another push as they closed the game by outscoring Fontbonne, 10-2, to set the final margin.

Anthony Jones, who scored 12 points in the first half, led the Griffins with 18 points, while McKinney added 17 points and Kleekamp tallied 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists. 

Domonic Dollin led Fontbonne's parade on the glass as he pulled down 12 rebounds, whiile Coddington added nine boards and eight points. 

Freshman guard/forward Bryce Woolrdige (Flower Mound, Texas/Coram Deo Academy) led the Gorloks with six boards, while Etienne and freshman forward Markus Becton (Bellwood, Ill./Westchester St. Joseph) each had five boards.

Fontbonne made eight treys as they shot 31 percent from the 3-point line in the game. 

Webster committed 13 turnovers that led to 14 points for Fontbonne, while the Griffins had 13 turnovers that Webster turned into 13 points. 

Both team struggled from the free throw line as Webster was 8-for-12 (67 percent) at the line, including making both of their attempts in the first half. Fontbonne shot 65 percent (11-for-17) from the free throw line. 

Webster will return to action on Wednesday, March 31 as they host Westminster in a 7:30 p.m. SLIAC contest at Grant Gymnasium. Prior to the game, the Gorloks will honor its three seniors - Etienne, Hughes and guard Lance Hatten (Greenacres, Fla./Berean Christian).