JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College men's basketball team fell to Webster University, 82-75, in the season opener for both teams on Thursday night. The Blueboys got back into the game in the second half, tying the score at 62-62 with under six minutes to go, but the Gorloks responded with an 8-0 run to take the lead for good. IC drops to 0-1 on the season with the loss.
Illinois College jumped out early to an 8-2 lead, helped by early three-pointers from
Riley Mehrens and
Sean McDonald. With the Blueboys out in front, 10-5, Webster stormed back with a 13-0 run in less than three minutes, going ahead 18-10 on a three-ball from Elijah Macias.
The Blueboys weren't down for long, rallying back and taking the lead after back-to-back baskets from
Trae Robinson III as the clock ticked under eight minutes in the first half. A
Michael Adams putback layup just before the horn cut the Webster lead down to one, 33-32, going to the half.
The game remained tight throughout the second half. Webster at one point pulled ahead by five, 50-45, but
Tim Parks drilled a three quickly back on the other end after the push-ahead from
Mason Speer and Illinois College once again pulled ahead, 55-54, on a Robinson III basket.
The final tie of the game came at 62-62 on an Adams layup, but down on the other end Enrique Tankins hit a three-pointer and Josh Johnson scored five straight after that to take a 70-62 advantage with 4:05 to play. McDonald did his best to get the Blueboys back in it, connecting on consecutive threes to make it 72-68, but Webster's offense got stronger as the game went along and IC was unable to come up with the stops it needed down the stretch.
McDonald scored a team-high 19 points for the Blueboys and tied for the team high with seven rebounds. The senior was joined in double-figures by Mehrens with 15, Parks with 14 and Adams with 11. Speer dished out 11 assists and
Kane Wildermuth tied McDonald with seven boards.
Illinois College goes out on the road this weekend, traveling to Washington University in St. Louis on Nov. 10 for a 7 p.m. tip-off against the Bears.
