FULTON, Mo. - The Webster University men's basketball team opened conference play with an in-state trip to Westminster College on Wednesday evening. The undefeated Gorloks overcame their first halftime deficit of the season and outscored the Bluejays 44-32 in the second half that earned a 70-60 victory. With the victory, Webster earned their fifth consecutive double-digit victory of the season and stay unbeated at 5-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play.

Webster and Westminster opened the game with back-and-forth action to a tie at 10 apiece that included baskets by Justin Ugo, Charles Nelson, Dallas Harding-Fair while Sebastian Reed contributed four consecutive points. Moments later, the Bluejays took the 17-11 lead with a 7-1 run. The game continued with back-and-forth play that included layups by Ugo, Nelson, and Ethan Chartrand to the 24-17 Westminster lead. 

With just under five and half minutes left in the first half, the Gorloks cut the deficit to one at 24-23 with three layups; two by Colin DeBold and the other by Reed. For the remainder of the half, Westminster added two baskets but a three-point basket by Nelson generated the 28-26 Gorlok halftime deficit.  

The Gorloks opened the second half with an 11-4 run that took the 37-32 advantage which included six points by Chartrand, two points each from Adam Painter and Jemard Sykes II, and a free-throw by Ugo. Moments later, the Bluejays responded with a 7-3 run that cut the Gorlok lead to 40-39. 

With 12 minutes left to go on the clock, the Gorloks stretched their lead to 54-43 with a 14-4 run that included four points by Ugo, three-points baskets by DeBold and Nelson, and baskets by Painter and Reed. Between the minute marks of 6:51 and 3:56, Webster and Westminster traded baskets to the score of 62-50 that included five points by Chartrand, a jumper by Nelson, and free-throw by Ugo. 

With three minutes left in regulation, the Bluejays added an 8-2 run that cut the lead to six at 64-58. The Gorloks closed out the game with a 6-2 run that included a pair of free-throws by Nelson and Painter while Ugo added a jumper in the paint that generated the victory. 

For the game, three Gorloks achieved double-figures led by Chartrand with 15 points while Nelson had 14 points as Ugo contributed a season-high 12 points. Painter led the team with a season-high 11 rebounds while adding seven points. In addition to Painter, Ugo grabbed a season-high seven rebounds while Nelson and Sykes II collected six rebounds each.

As a team, the Gorloks outscored the Bluejays 38-26 in points in the paint, 24-8 on points off turnovers, and 15-5 on fast break points. 

The Gorloks will revert back to non-conference play this Saturday, November 29 hosting Millikin University starting at 3:00PM in Grant Gym.