The Westminster men's basketball team is tied for first in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) after defeating Spalding University on Saturday afternoon, 58-54. The Westminster Blue Jays are now 7-9 on the season and 7-3 in conference play.
The Spalding Golden Eagles grabbed the lead to start the game and extended the Blue Jay deficit to seven points six minutes in, 14-7. Five points coming from sophomore Jimmy Villalobos and two free throws by senior Kellen Brondel brought the Blue Jays within two points with 12:12 to play in the first half. A jump shot by sophomore Nick Carlos knotted the game, but Spalding scored five to take back the lead. Spalding closed out the half with a 7-0 run to lead 34-24 at halftime.
The Blue Jays brought the game within four points in the first four minutes with points coming from sophomores Romo Tabb and Tanner Cochran. Carlos put in a layup, junior Zach Nelson put in a fast break layup, and Carlos went 2-for-2 from the foul line to complete the 13-2 that started the second half. The Blue Jays did not hold the lead for long as Spalding quickly knotted the game and took the lead with 10:38 to play. They increased their lead to seven with 5:54 on the clock, 51-44. With 4:10 to play, freshman Carter Wands made his jump shot while being fouled on the way up. He sunk his free throw, knotting the game at 52-52. A three-pointer by Cochran gave the Blue Jays a one-point lead with 3:36 remaining, and Villalobos broke a three-minute scoring silence from both teams as he went 2-for-2 from the foul line. Spalding missed both their three-point attempts to tie the game, and Cochran pulled down the rebound on the second shot. He was immediately fouled, sending him to the line with 0:08 on the clock. Cochran went 1-for-2 from the line, giving the Blue Jays a four-point cushion. Spalding made their final attempt with a missed half-court shot, ending the game with the 58-54 Blue Jay win.
The Blue Jays shot 42.2 percent from the field. Cochran led the Blue Jays with 14 points while going 5-for-9 from the field. Villalobos and Wands each went 4-for-5 from the free throw line, tallying 11 and eight points, respectively. Tabb pulled down seven boards including six defensive. Gentges finished with three assists.
The Blue Jays begin their three-game road series on Wednesday, January 27, with a conference game versus Greenville College. Tip-off is at 3:00 p.m.
