Fulton, Mo 2/11/2023-The Westminster College men's basketball team took on Spalding University in the Senior Day game. Before the game, Westminster honored their three seniors Makygh Galbreath (Fulton, MO/ Fulton), Coby Williams (Versailles, Mo. / Morgan County R-2), and Jaxon Althaus (Oak Grove, MO/ Oak Grove). Things looked bleak for the Blue Jays as the Golden Eagles got out to a 22-point lead, their largest of the game early in the second half. Westminster refusing to get blown out on Senior Day, fought back and forced overtime. In overtime, Spalding would hit three three-pointers in a row and win 86-77. The Blue Jays fall to 2-21 on the season and 1-11 in the SLIAC. Spalding improved to 7-15 and 6-6 in the SLIAC.
Spalding would score first after winning the opening tip. Althaus got the day started with a bang, draining a three to put Westminster up 3-2. They would trade baskets for the next five minutes of play. The Golden Eagles would get hot and go on a 10-0 run and go up 20-11. They would continue to pull away and take a 48-29 lead at halftime.
Down 58-36 and their backs against the wall with 13:16 left to play, the Blue Jays would flip a switch, starting with a block by Brysan Jeffries (Wardsville, MO / Blair Oaks that led to a layup by his brother Brennan Jeffries (Jefferson City, Mo. / Jefferson City). Tre Kempker (Eugene, MO/ Eugene) would get a steal and get fouled on the shot attempt. He would make both free throws. Westminster would continue to put pressure on the Golden Eagles with a full-court press. Kempker would grab another steal and would get fouled one more time. He would make both free throws with Westminster still down 60-43.
Althaus would convert a three-point play with 8:21 left in the game after a steal by Brysan Jeffries on the Spalding inbound pass. Brennan Jeffries would force a turnover that led to a three from Althaus. He would get fouled on the shot, sending it to the line. He would make the free throw and put Westminster down 62-54 after the four-point play. Althaus would grab a defensive rebound after a missed shot by the Golden Eagles. Their next possession would get fouled on the rebound. He would go to the line for two shots and make them both. Brennan Jeffries would make a layup and get fouled, he would make the free throw and suddenly, the Blue Jays were down 65-59. He would get to the line two more times and make all four free throws. Spalding would call timeout after throwing the ball out of bounds and seeing their twenty-point lead evaporate to just 6 with 5:23 left to play.
The Blue Jays would get the ball after the timeout, trailing 67-63. They would turn the ball over on the out-of-bounds play, leading to an easy layup by the Golden Eagles. Williams would get a steal that led to a layup by Galbreath. The next Blue Jays possession, Althaus hit a three that about blew the roof of the Historic Gym to make it 69-68. Brennan Jeffries would get to the line again and made both free throws to give Westminster their first lead of the game, 70-69. Jeffries lived at the line down the stretch, going to the line two more times, going three for four, and giving the Blue Jays a 73-69 lead. Spalding would get to the line on their last two possessions and make all four throws to send it to overtime, 73-73.
Spalding would make back-to-back-to-back threes to start the overtime period leading 82-75. They would outscore the Blue Jays 13-4 in overtime to win the game 86-77.
The Blue Jays would lead by Althaus, who had 23 points and 6 rebounds. Jeffries had 21 points in the game and was 13-15 from the line. Eberlin had 10 points and Galbreath scored 9. Kempker would have 8 points and 9 rebounds in the game. He would go 5-8 from the free-throw line. The Blue Jays shot 81% from the charity stripe, going 26-31.
The Blue Jays will be back in action on Wednesday, February 15th when they take on Fontbonne University in the last home game of the season. That game will tip off at 7:30 PM.
