Balanced Attack Leads to Blue Jay Win

Carter Wands
Carter Wands

FULTON, Mo. - Westminster men's basketball finished the regular home season with a 79-60 win over Eureka while four players scored in double-figures.

Westminster improves to 15-6 overall and 11-3 in conference play, tied at the top of the SLIAC with Greenville. 

"Tonight was our best defensive effort of the season," said Westminster Head Coach Matt Mitchell. "Eureka is a very high-scoring team and we were able to contain two of the best scorers in the conference." 

Westminster got off to a quick start with eight points from Jimmy Villalobos in the first six minutes, includers two three-pointers. Carter Wands added five points of his own, and at the 14:28 mark of the first half, Westminster led the Red Devils 18-4. 

The Blue Jays maintained a double-digit lead throughout the first half, at one point leading by as many as 18. Missed freethrows at the end of the half cost the Blue Jays a big lead, but they still went into the break with a 39-25 advantage. 

Strong shooting was the name of the game in the second half as Wands, Villalobos, Sean O'Brien, and Tanner Cochran all hit three-pointers in the opening minutes to give Westminster a 20-plus point lead. 

A statement dunk on a steal and fast-break from Romo Tabb gave Westminster its biggest lead of the game at the 12:39 mark, at 61-36. 

The Blue Jays kept their 20-point lead for a majority of the rest of the second half, eventually finished the game with a score of 79-60 in favor of Westminster. 

Wands led all scorers with 14 points, while Villalobos and Tabb each added 13. O'Brien finished with 11. 

"Romo, Jimmy, and Carter were outstanding against their leading scorers," said Mitchell. "It should be an exciting last two weeks of the season."

Westminster goes on the road to face Blackburn Wednesday at 8 p.m.