Griffins Fall Late In Final Minutes Against Webster

ST. LOUIS, Mo.—The second outing between the Fontbonne University men's basketball team and Webster didn't disappoint, but it was the Gorloks fending off Fontbonne for the 93-87 win.

With 2:58 remaining in regulation, the Griffins were down 85-81 on Josh Johnson's 3-pointer. After Carter Otwell went 1-of-2 from the line, the Griffins tied the game up at 85-85 on Jared Woodcock's 3-pointer with 1:40 remaining.

However, over that 1:40 span, the Gorloks went 6-of-6 from the line and hit its lone shot for the six-point win.

Overall, the Griffins (5-11; 3-6 SLIAC) shot 40.0 percent from the floor and dished out 26 assists. The team also dominated in bench scoring with a 39-6 advantage.

Individually, Luke DeLine returned to the lineup for the first time in three games and posted a team-high 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting off the bench. Otwell broke out with a career-high 18 points and nine assists, while Anthony Jones set a new career-high himself off the bench with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

Jared Woodcock netted 14 points and led them on the glass with eight rebounds. Gus Kleekamp was the final player in double-figures with 10.

Webster (12-4; 8-1 SLIAC), shot 55.7 percent from the field and outrebounded Fontbonne 48-35. Rodson Etienne had himself a game with game-high 30 points and 13 rebounds. Josh Johnson ended with 27 points on 7-of-13 shooting, while Nigel Wilcox recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

In the first half, the Gorloks opened with a 14-4 lead on Aron Hopp's 3-pointer at 16:36. Five minutes later, Hopp's bucket put Webster out in front by nine (22-13). The Griffins, though answered with a 9-0 run, capped off by Woodcock's made jumper to tie the game at 22-22.

Webster maintained its marginal lead as the clock continued to tick away, but Otwell's layup kept the Griffins down 33-29. The Gorloks answered with a 5-0 run to take a 38-29 lead with three minutes remaining.

They never relinquished its advantage the rest of the way and went into the break on top, 42-37. Fontbonne shot 32.5 percent from the floor in the first and were paced by Woodcock's nine points. Etienne led all scorers netting 16.

In the second half, the Griffins jumped out on top with a 50-48 lead on Gus Kleekamp's dunk four minutes and four seconds in.

Later, a DeLine 3-pointer and a made free throw from Otwell gave Fontbonne its largest lead of the game, 56-52, with 13:50 on the clock.

The two teams went on to tie six times over the next five minutes and seven seconds as two made free throws from Jordan Clay tied the game (68-68).

Webster went on to regain the lead on its next possession with Johnson draining his 3-pointer. Fontbonne, tough kept chipping away at the lead and eventually took the 81-79 advantage on DeLine's 3-pointer with 4:24 to go.

Johnson, however, hit the next two 3-pointers and now Webster led by four (85-81). Despite the Griffins tying the game back up at 85-85, the Gorloks closed out regulation on an 8-2 run for the six-point win.

The Griffins look to bounce back in front of the home crowd on Monday afternoon against Iowa Wesleyan. Tip-off at 3 p.m.

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