Men's Basketball Snaps Three-Game Losing Streak with 75-61 Win over Fontbonne

Men's Basketball Snaps Three-Game Losing Streak with 75-61 Win over Fontbonne

The Westminster men's basketball team snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday evening with a 75-61 win over Fontbonne University. With the win, the Westminster Blue Jays move to 8-12 on the season and 8-5 in conference play.

The Blue Jays jumped out to a 9-0 run to start the game, forcing the Fontbonne Griffins to call a timeout. A 10-2 Griffin run coming out of the timeout brought them within one, but a short jump shot by senior Kellen Brondel jump-started a Blue Jay 7-0 run to take them to an eight-point lead, 23-15. Fontbonne wrapped up another run, knotting the game for the first time and only time with 5:36 left in the first half. A basket from senior Aaron Jackson Jr. took back the lead, 27-25. The Blue Jays held onto the lead and a bucket by sophomore Tanner Cochran sent the Blue Jays into halftime with a 32-29 lead.

Sophomore Nick Carlos scored seven of the team's first 12 points of the second half to go up by eight just three minutes in, 44-36. A three-point Griffin play brought the game within two with 14:21 on the clock, but the Blue Jays pushed a 9-0 run to take an 11-point lead, 56-45. Fontbonne closed the gap to five points with 7:22 to play, but the Blue Jays answered with a layup by sophomore Romo Tabb and two layups by Cochran to go back up by 11 with 5:44 remaining, 65-54. A three-pointer by junior Tanner Gentges gave the Blue Jays a 14-point lead with 3:29 left of play. Fontbonne dropped their deficit to 11 points with a free throw, but freshman Carter Wands sealed the deal at the free throw line to end the game with a Blue Jay 75-61 win. 

Carlos put up 22 points in the win after shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three-point line. He and sophomore Jimmy Villalobos each pulled down five rebounds, and sophomore Zach Nelson grabbed four steals. 

The Blue Jays host Eureka College on Saturday, February 6, at 6:00 pm.