The Westminster men's basketball team looked for a comeback during Wednesday's conference game versus Eureka, but the Blue Jays fell short in overtime. The 84-79 loss is the second conference loss on the season, bringing them to a 3-2 conference record. They are now 3-7 on the season.
The Blue Jays quickly took a 5-0 lead to start the game, but Eureka followed with a 9-0 run to take the lead. The Blue Jays knotted the game three times before sophomore Jimmy Villalobos put in a short jumper after rebounding to take the 16-15 lead with 11:09 to play in the first half. Eureka took back the lead with another 9-0 run, bringing the score to 29-21 with 5:03 on the clock. Junior Tanner Gentges was fouled on a layup with 2:56 to play. He made the layup and followed up with the good free throw, bringing the Blue Jays back within five, 31-26. The Blue Jays were unable to score in the final minutes of the half and Eureka put up just one jump shot to send the game into halftime with Eureka leading 33-26.
Eureka increased their lead to 13 points at the start of the second half. Freshman Collin Caywood put in a three-pointer and two free throws to bring the game within nine points with 14:14 to play, but Eureka answered with a 6-0 run over a three minute span to take a 51-36 lead. The Blue Jays slowly chipped away at Eureka's hold and a three-pointer by sophomore Nick Carlos brought the game within eight with 3:49 on the clock. Carlos went 3-3 from the foul line and added a layup to bring the game within five with 1:30 to play, and a three-pointer from Gentges brought the game within two with just 1:00 on the clock. Eureka made two free throws to take back a four-point lead, but Gentges put in a layup to bring the game back within two. Carlos was fouled with 20 seconds on the clock, sending him to the line for two. He sank both, knotting the game at 64-64. A turnover by Eureka gave the Blue Jays the chance to win it, but both shots did not connect, sending the game into overtime.
After a slow start in overtime, the Blue Jays managed to come back in the game with two three-pointers by Caywood. Eureka answered with a 7-0 run to take a 77-70 hold over Westminster. Cochran made a layup and his free throw with 1:40 left in overtime to bring the game within four, 77-73, and he later put in another layup and free throw to bring the score to 82-76. Cochran scored his ninth point of overtime with his final three-pointer, bringing the Blue Jays within four with 16 seconds left, 83-79. Eureka scored once more and the Blue Jays were unable to connect with the basket again, ending the game with the 84-79 overtime loss.
Carlos shot 4-for-9 from the three-point line and 5-for-5 from the free throw line to lead the Blue Jays with 19 points. Caywood added 16 points to the overtime loss after shooting 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. Gentges pulled down six boards while senior Brandon Drum, Cochran and Villalobos each pulled down five. Cochran finished the night with four assists and three steals.
The Blue Jays host Blackburn College for their first home game of the new year. The conference game takes place in Fulton, Mo. at 3:00 pm.
