Red Devils Top Webster to Keep Perfect SLIAC Mark, 68-64
EUREKA, Ill. -- Eureka College senior guard Luci Weis (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community H.S.) scored 13 points off the bench, helping the Red Devils run their St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record to 10-0 with a 68-64 league win over Webster, Wednesday night at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena.
Wednesday's win was Eureka's 10th in a row over league opponents, tying the program's longest win streak in the SLIAC since joining the league prior to the 2006-07 season. Coupled with Greenville's Wednesday loss at Fontbonne, EC has a four-game lead in the loss column of the SLIAC standings with six regular-season games remaining.
Additionally, Eureka has won eight straight games overall, its longest overall stretch without a defeat since winning 10 in a row from Jan. 10, 2012 through Feb. 11, 2012.
The Red Devils started Wednesday's game on a high note, scoring the first five points and rushing to an 18-5 advantage less than eight minutes into the game. The Red Devils led 20-11 after one period.
The visitors closed the gap in the second quarter, pulling with three as late as the final minute before halftime. With the advantage down to a single possession, Weis beat the first-half horn with a 3-pointer from the corner to give EC a 38-32 lead at halftime.
Webster forced a 42-42 tie on Taylor Lucas's jumper with 6:29 left in the third quarter. WU eventually grabbed its first lead of the night when Lucas made two foul shots for a 47-45 edge with 3:35 to play in the third period. The score was tied 50-50 after the quarter.
Jade Sawyer's free throws gave WU a 52-50 cushion just 14 seconds into the final period, but Eureka junior Kerrigan Dura (Edwards, Ill./Brimfield H.S.) answered with a 3-pointer and the Red Devils wouldn't trail again.
EC led 62-58 after a bucket from sophomore Lexi Dooley (Sutter, Ill./Warsaw H.S.) at the 1:13 mark of the fourth quarter. The Gorloks pulled within two points on two more occasions, but another Dooley layup and four straight free throws from Dura and Weis in the final 23 seconds iced Eureka's first season sweep of Webster since the 2011-12 season.
Four Red Devils scored in double figures. Dooley netted 12, while Dura and sister Kennedy Dura (Edwards, Ill./Brimfield H.S.) each scored 11. Senior forward Michaela Balducci (Eureka, Ill./Eureka H.S.) hauled down 11 rebounds, helping EC hold a decisive 37-24 advantage on the glass.
Lucas led all scorers with 26 points. WU went just 3-for-19 from 3-point range.
Eureka will continue its quest for a SLIAC regular-season championship on Saturday when the Red Devils travel to St. Louis for a 1 p.m. tip-off at Fontbonne. EC edged the Griffins in Eureka, 61-57, on Jan. 4.