The Westminster College men's basketball team traveled to Fontbonne University to take on the Griffins Wednesday night in St. Louis. The Griffins led the game from the opening tip till the final whistle, winning the game 89-79. The Griffins improve to 6-1 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and 10-8 on the season. The Blue Jays fall to 1-6 in the SLIAC and 2-16 in the year.
Westminster struggled to start the game, scoring nearly four minutes later. They found their second basket with 12:43 left in the first half and trailing 17-4. The Blue Jays went on a run halfway through the half after a Jaxon Althaus 3-pointer put the Blue Jays down four points, 26-22, with 6:55 remaining in the first half. The Griffins answered with a 3 of their own to go back up seven and coast the rest of the way. Fontbonne led at halftime 45-28.
The Blue Jays cut the deficit to eight points a few times in the second half after trailing by 26 at one point. However, they didn't get within striking distance and lost the game 89-79.
Caleb Maassen led the Blue Jays with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Kaden Eirhart had 13 points off the bench, going 3-5 from 3. Althaus had 11 points, and Makygh Galbreath was the fourth Blue Jay in double figures with 11 points. He had seven rebounds in the game as well.
The Blue Jays turned the ball over 21 times and were out-rebounded by the Griffins 41-34, including 11 offensive rebounds. Fontbonne scored 21 points off turnovers and 18 second-chance points.
Westminster will be back in action Saturday when they travel to Carlinville, Illinois, to take on Blackburn College. That game will tip at 3 p.m.