ST. LOUIS—MBU Men's Basketball used a big second half to knock off (NCAA DIII) Webster University 82-54 on Saturday night at the Carl and Deloris Petty SRC. Despite playing without four key contributors, the Spartans shot a season-high 57.6% from the field and improved their overall record to 3-2.
The Spartans got off to a fast start courtesy of five quick points from
RJ Pair and it took only about 10 minutes to break away for the first time. A 12-0 run turned a tie game into a 23-11 advantage. In the first 20 minutes, MBU shot 59.3% from the field (16-27).
Webster hung around thanks in large part to a 55% FG percentage of their own. Leading scorer Wynne Brown Jr. was 7-10 for 14 points in the opening half. The Spartans, however, would make a few halftime time adjustments and the second period was a different story. Brown would go on to finish the night with that same 14 point total.
After going into the break leading 40-31, the home side really kicked it into gear a few minutes into the second half. A basket by
River Reed ignited a 15-2 stretch that left the visiting Gorloks in the dust. A three-pointer by
Luke Hicks made it 66-43 with 11:49 remaining.
The Spartans almost doubled up the Gorloks in second half (42-23) and they nearly matched their first half field goal percentage (56.3%, 18-32).
RJ Pair's 19 points led the way. The graduate senior transfer Nebraska-Kearney went 8-11 from the field and added three assists and two rebounds.
Jadis White,
Brendon Hardy, and
John Yaeger all contributed 11 points apiece. White had a team-high six assists and Hardy was 3-4 from the 3PT. Yaeger was 5-6 from the field.
The Spartans also got a boost from redshirt junior
Luke Hicks. In 24 minutes, the former Hallsville (Mo.) HS standout had eight points and a team-best eight rebounds. Both set new career-highs for Hicks who missed most of the last two seasons with injury.
Missouri Baptist will now have a quick turnaround with their next action coming Monday in Lawrence, Kan. The Spartans will meet Haskell Indian Nations University (Kan.) at 7 pm. The next home game at the SRC will not be until the start of AMC play against Hannibal on December 2.
