The Westminster men's basketball team topped Principia College on Tuesday evening, 81-72. The Westminster Blue Jays are now 6-9 on the season and 6-3 in conference play. 

After a back-and-forth start to the game, senior Matt Murphy jump-started a 9-0 run to take a 16-8 lead 5:18 in. The Principia Panthers broke the run with a three-pointer, but the Blue Jays answered with a 12-0 run to take a 28-11 lead with 10 minutes to play in the first half. The Blue Jays maintained a 10+ point lead throughout the half and headed into halftime with a 41-30 lead.

Murphy hit a three-pointer to start the second half, followed by a jump shot by sophomore Romo Tabb to take the 46-30 lead. A traditional three-point play by the Panthers brought the game within seven with 13:56 to play, but sophomore Tanner Cochran made a layup to go back up by nine. A 7-0 run with points coming from junior Tanner Gentges and Tabb put the Blue Jays up 64-50. The Panthers brought the game within eight with 4:38 to play, but a layup by Cochran pulled back a 10-point lead. A layup by sophomore Nick Carlos gave the Blue Jays the 81-70 lead with 1:00 to play. The Panthers scored the final points of the game to end it with a score of 81-72. 

The Blue Jays shot 55.2 percent from the field. Cochran led the Blue Jays with 18 points. Carlos scored 14 points and pulled down six boards. Tabb added 12 points to the win after going 5-for-6 from the field. Murphy dished in four assists and Cochran and Tabb each grabbed three steals. 

The Blue Jays host Spalding University on Saturday, January 23, at 3:00 p.m.