01/11/2025 Carlinville, IL- The Westminster Blue Jays fell to Blackburn College, 71-60, on Saturday afternoon at Dawes Gymnasium. Despite a competitive first half, where Westminster trailed by just one point at 29-28, the Blue Jays were unable to sustain their momentum in the second half. 

Westminster's offense was led by Luke Abeln, who had a strong performance with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting while adding four rebounds. Gavin Hendrix provided a boost off the bench, contributing 7 points and pulling down a team-high 9 rebounds. Jamile Johnson chipped in 8 points and 4 rebounds, showing consistency in the paint. Sean LaRose added energy from the bench as well, scoring 9 points on 4-of-6 shooting. 

The Blue Jays shot a respectable 44.4% from the field and were efficient at the free-throw line, converting 81.8% of their attempts. However, turnovers proved costly, as Westminster committed 19, disrupting their offensive flow. Additionally, the team struggled to generate consistent production from beyond the arc, hitting just 3-of-10 three-point attempts. 

Westminster's effort on the boards was led by Hendrix, who anchored the rebounding with nine of the team's 32 total rebounds. Despite flashes of strong play, the Blue Jays were unable to capitalize on opportunities in key moments of the game. 

The Blue Jays will look to regroup as they prepare for their next game on Wednesday, January 15th, against Fontbonne University in St. Louis. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM.