Fulton, MO 1/31/2023- The Westminster College men's basketball team took on the Principia College Panthers in the annual Coaches vs Cancer game. The Blue Jays partnered with the Super Sam Foundation to raise awareness for childhood cancer. After a back-and-forth first half, the Panthers would take control of the game and defeat the Blue Jays 89-75. Principia improves to 15-5 and 7-2 in the SLIAC. Westminster goes to 2-18 on the season and 1-8 in the conference.
The Blue Jays started the game with a 7-2 after a runner by Brennan Jeffries (Jefferson City, MO/ Jefferson City) and a three-pointer by Jaxon Althaus (Oak Grove, MO/ Oak Grove) off an assist from Jeffries. Caleb Maassen (Linn, MO/ Linn) would score a layup as the Blue Jays scored on their first three possessions of the game. Principia would tie the game 16-16 with 12:40 left in the half as both teams would battle back and forth. The Panthers would go on a 7-2 run to take the lead and go up 25-22. Maassen would get fouled and make the basket a few moments later and tied the game 25-25 after making the free throw. Principia would then go on a run and take a 39-32 with 3:30 left in the half. They would end the half outscoring the Blue Jays 10-2 and had a 49-34 lead at the break.
Principia started the second half hitting back-to-back threes and would go on to extend their lead to as many as 22 at one point. The Panthers would hold that lead for the remainder of the game and win 89-75.
The Panthers made 10 threes in the game, going 10-22. They would shoot 63% from the field. Westminster shot 44% from the field and made 7 threes in the game. Principia turned the Blue Jays over 19 times, which resulted in 26 points off turnovers. The Jays outrebounded the Panthers 30-27. Westminster would shoot 80% from the free throw, going 20-25.
The Blue Jays were led offensively by Maassen who had 16 points and was 7-9 from the field. Makygh Galbreath (Fulton, MO/ Fulton) had 14 points and was a perfect 4-4 from three. Jeffries had 11 points and went 5-8.
Westminster will be back in action on February 4th when they take on Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois. That game will tip off at 3:00 PM.
