11/21/2023 Fulton, Mo- The Westminster College men's basketball team opened the conference schedule by hosting the Webster University Gorloks. It would be a back-and-forth game inside the Historic Gym. There were 7 ties and 10 lead changes in the game. The Blue Jays would win the game at the buzzer after a three-pointer from freshman guard Jack Fessenden put the Blue Jays on top 71-70. It would be the Blue Jays first win of the season as they improved to 1-5 on the season and are now 1-0 in the SLIAC. The Gorloks fell to 1-3 on the year and are now 0-1 in the conference.
The Blue Jays started the game strong and set the tone early by taking a 6-1 lead early in the first half. The Gorloks would rally to tie the game 6-6 with 15:48 left in the half. Both teams would battle back and forth the rest of the half tying the game and swapping the lead back and forth with neither team able to pull away. Brennan Jeffries would make a layup in the final second of the first half, putting the Blue Jays down one point, 35-34.
Westminster would take the lead back early in the second half and took a 42-39 lead, it would be their largest lead of the second half. The Gorloks would go on a 6-2 run to take a 48-42 lead with 13:40 left in the game. They would hold that lead until the final seconds. The Blue Jays would keep it close and stay within striking distance. The Blue Jays found themselves down 70-66 with 42 seconds left in the game. Westminster would enter the ball into Ben Eberlin, and he would score to get the Jays back within two points with 26 seconds remaining. Westminster would take their final timeout and game plan how to handle the end of the game. They would foul the Gorloks and put them on the free-throw line to shoot a one and-one. Webster would miss the front end of it. Eberlin would get the rebound with 6 seconds on the clock. He would pass it up to Brennan Jeffries, who kicked out to Jack Fessenden. He would dribble to the top of the key off a double screen and let a three-pointer fly with a hand in his face and 2 seconds remaining. He would hit nothing but net and walk it off for the Blue Jays, winning the game 71-70.
Ben Eberlin led the Blue Jays on offense, scoring a game-high 24 points. He would have 8 rebounds and an assist. The big man would go 11-18 from the field and go 2-3 from the free throw line. Brennan Jeffries had 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jack Fessenden would have 12 points in the game, all his points came in the second half, and they would all come from behind the three-point line, including the game-winner. He would go 4-7 from behind the arc.
The Blue Jays will play in an exhibition game against William Woods on Saturday, November 25th at 7:00 pm from the Historic Gym.
