Adam Painter 33
73
Westminster (MO) WESTMO 5-8,2-2 SLIAC
81
Winner Webster WEBSTR 10-2,3-0 SLIAC
Westminster (MO) WESTMO
5-8,2-2 SLIAC
73
Final
81
Webster WEBSTR
10-2,3-0 SLIAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Westminster (MO) WESTMO 37 36 73
Webster WEBSTR 42 39 81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Kyle Jones

Webster Defends Home Court, Tops Westminster 81-73 to Stay Perfect in SLIAC Play

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The Webster University men's basketball team opened the new calendar year by hosting Westminster College for a conference decision Saturday afternoon in Grant Gym. The Gorloks used balance, physicality in the paint, and timely defensive stops that earned an 81-73 victory over the Blue Jays. With the victory, Webster improves to 10-2 overall and 3-0 in conference play.  

In the opening minute of play, Webster jumped out to the early 5-0 advantage on a layup by Dallas Harding-Fair and three-pointer by Charles Nelson. Moments later, the Blue Jays responded with a 7-0 run that made the score 5-7. Following that run, Jemard Sykes II knocked down a three-pointer and Nelson added a jumper in the paint that put the Gorloks on top at 10-7. The Blue Jays fought back with a 7-2 run that generated the 12-14 deficit as Nbaye Thiam added a basket in the paint. 

With the two-point deficit, the Gorloks countered with an 8-4 run which took the 20-18 advantage that included a basket each from Nelson, Thiam, Adam Painter, and Sebastian Reed. 

With nine minutes to go in the opening half, Webster constructed an 11-5 run to the 31-25 lead that included an add-one play by Sykes II while Nelson, Harding-Fair, Painter, and Thiam added a basket in the paint each. 

For the final six minutes of the first half, the Gorloks and Blue Jays traded baskets which included five points by Reed, four by Painter, and two by Harding-Fair that generated the 42-37 halftime lead. 

Webster opened the second half with an 8-3 run that generated the 50-40 lead. In the run, Harding-Fair and Painter contributed three points each while Sykes II added a jumper. Moments later, the Blue Jays cut the lead to 50-46 with back-to-back three-pointers. 

With the four-point lead, the Gorloks erupted for a 12-1 run for the 62-47 advantage that included six points by Reed and two points each from Nelson, Harding-Fair, and Kendall Horton. With 11 minutes to go, the Blue Jays responded with an 11-3 run that made the score 67-60. 

Following that run by Westminster, Webster added an 8-2 run on four points each from Painter and Nelson that stretched the lead to 75-62. With three minutes to go on the clock, Westminster rallied for an 11-3 run that made the score 78-73. In the final minute, Nelson closed out the game with three free-throws that generated the 81-73 final.  

For the game, five Gorloks achieved double-figures which was led by Nelson with 21 points while Painter contributed a season-high 16 points. In addition, Reed recorded 15 points as Harding-Fair had 11 points and Sykes II added 10 points. At the glass, Nelson collected a career-high eight rebounds while Painter matched Nelson with eight as Harding-Fair and Reed secured season-high's of seven rebounds each. Nelson led the team with seven assists while Painter and Sykes II contributed two assists each. 

As a team, Webster outscored Westminster 54-12 with points in the paint and 20-11 on points off turnovers. In addition, Webster outrebounded Westminster 44-35.

The Gorloks will continue conference play on Wednesday, January 7th with a road trip to Spalding University starting at 5:30PM eastern time in Louisville, Kentucky. 
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