MT. PLEASANT, Ia. - Five players for Westminster men's basketball scored double figures in the team's win over Iowa Wesleyan.
The Blue Jays improve to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
"Our guys really bought in to moving the ball tonight and getting each other open looks," said Associate Head Coach Andrew Green. "That shows in the fact that we had all five starters in double figures. It was imperative to be as balanced as we were offensively, because it's not often that we give up 82 points."
The first five minutes of play resulted in six lead changes and three ties. Back-to-back three-pointers from Stu Hollandsworth and Collin Caywood put Westminster on top 19-12 with under 14 minutes to play for its biggest lead of the game. At the 10 minute mark, the Tigers took back the lead, holding on to the lead until Caywood and Steven Brandt hit back-to-back threes to go up 40-36 at the half.
An 10-4 run to kick off the second half extended the Blue Jay lead. The Tigers continued to stay in the game, never trailing by more than six throughout the first 10 minutes of the second half.
The Blue Jays were able to put together a 9-0 run, including four points from Hollandsworth, to go up 70-58 at the 6:42 mark.
The Tigers came back with an 11-1 run of their own to get back within two points of the Blue Jays. A three-pointer from the Tigers with 33 seconds left put them down by five points, but Carter Wands, Cody Shaw, and Tanner Cochran hit freethrows in the remaining seconds to hold the lead and secure the win.
Hollandsworth led all scorers with 21 points and seven rebounds. Cochran and Shaw added 14 apiece, while Caywood and Wands each added 13. Shaw was one rebound away from a double-double.
"Stu had a great night establishing himself in the post, and that gave our outside shooters the chance to find open looks," said Green. "Our guards are doing a great job of stepping up. Both Caywood and Cochran did a great job of making open shots, and Shaw and Carter did a great job with their drives to the basket."
Westminster returns home Jan. 10 to face conference opponent Eureka at 8 p.m.
