ST. LOUIS, Mo. – In a battle of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s (SLIAC) top two teams, the second-place The W squad came up short versus league-leader Webster University, 74-67, at Grant Gym. The loss snapped the Owls’ (10-7, 6-2 SLIAC) five-game win streak – and six-game string of conference wins – while the Gorloks (15-2, 8-0 SLIAC) kept their SLIAC record unblemished.
MUW held the lead in the opening half for nearly 12 minutes of elapsed time, leading by as many as nine points, 32-23, on a Tyler Shephard three-pointer with 5:21 left until the half. The Owls still led by five points with 4:27 left when leading scorer and rebounder Tray Huguley suffered a leg injury and did not return before the break.
Webster took advantage of the situation and closed the first half on an 8-2 run, taking a 35-34 lead into the locker room. With Huguley still sidelined to begin the second half, the Gorloks led by as many as 11 points and were still up by seven, 47-40, when Huguley checked back into the Owls’ lineup with 15:55 remaining.
Over the next 2:34 minutes, The W managed to within a single point at 49-48, with 13:21 to play. The gritty Owls kept Webster in sight, behind by one or two possessions the vast majority of the waning minutes, but were never quite able to get over the hump to overtake the SLIAC frontrunners.
“Tonight, this group earned the word we say after we break every huddle: ‘heart’,” MUW Head Coach Dean Burrows praised. ”That was the gutsiest effort I’ve ever had a group give us, and that’s saying something. Games like this, in conference, with two really good teams trading blows will forever come down to lay-ups and made free throws, which is where we didn’t help ourselves tonight.
Shephard finished with a game-high 24 points on an 8-for-15 shooting effort, including 2-for-4 from beyond the arc. Shephard also converted 6-of-8 free throws and snared five rebounds.
The hampered Huguley booked a total of 12 points, 10 of which he had prior to being injured. Huguley grabbed six rebounds and had two blocks, as well.
Devin McCaine contributed 14 points and Trent Walker added nine. The senior Walker also pulled down a team-leading seven rebounds, made three steals, and blocked a shot.
Joe Haze Austin was held to four points – well below his 13.6 points per game average – but managed to contribute in most other manners with six rebounds, four steals, three assists, and two blocks on his ledger.
The W will enjoy a week off – courtesy of the forecasted severe weather – and resume action Thursday at high-octane Greenville University. In the last meeting between the MUW and GU, in Columbus on December 6, 2025, the clubs combined for 251 points, in the Owls’, 142-109, victory.
Greenville 85, MUW women 70
The W women’s basketball gave SLIAC leader Webster University all it had, but ran out of gas late in an 85-70 loss at Grant Gym. The setback dropped the Owls to 4-12 overall and 3-5 in the SLIAC, while the Gorloks improved to 10-6 and 7-1 in the league.
MUW led for the bulk of the first half; all but 54 seconds. The Owls held a 21-19 advantage after one quarter and were on top at the intermission, 43-39. In both cases, senior guard Calysia Phillips canned long buzzer-beating three-point baskets at the end of each segment to keep the Owls on top.
While the third quarter has, many times this season, been a stumbling block for MUW, the visitors maintained a 10-point cushion – 63-53 – heading into the final period with the double-figure cushion. But instead of seeing its dream of an upset come to fruition, the period would prove to be a nightmare for The W ladies.
Webster scored the first 12 points of the fourth to wrest the lead back, 65-63. A pair of Phillips free throws at 4:41 ended the MUW scoring drought. A few seconds later the Gorloks took the lead for good, as MUW scored just one field goal in the entire fourth quarter, and that not coming until just 20 seconds left in the game.
The W offense was led by fifth-year senior Conley Langford, who poured in a game-leading 29 points. Langford connected on 9-of-18 from the floor, 7-of-12 from beyond the arc, and 4-of-5 from the free throw line. She also grabbed seven rebounds and made two steals.
Fellow senior Mia Bowen had 20 points, on a 7-for-13 shooting effort from the field and 5-of-8 from the charity stripe. Bowen pulled down six rebounds and made two blocks, as well as dishing off three assists.
Calysia Phiilips finished with eight points, all in the first half. She also had a game-best five assists and four steals.
Fantasia Wilson booked seven points and had three steals. Four points from Rhianna Dinkins and two by Jakayla Smith rounded out the Owls scoring.
The W will be idle until Thursday when it travels to Greenville University.
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