COLUMBUS, Miss. – The W men's basketball upset St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) leader Webster University, 80-60, and assured itself of the No. 2-seed for next week's conference post-season tournament. The Owls (15-10, 11-5 SLIAC), by virtue of being the second seed, also receive a coveted by in the first round (which begins on Tuesday), and advance directly to a semifinal game next Thursday (Feb. 26) in St. Louis, Missouri.
 
The loss was the Gorloks' (22-3, 15-1 SLIAC) first setback in a league game this season.
 
"Most would probably think that today was about their undefeated conference record coming into this afternoon," MUW Head Coach Dean Burrows said. "But obviously for us, it was about securing a two seed next week; getting a bye; getting an extra day of rest for our group of nine. I thought that this was the most focused coming into a game we have been all season in how we went about pregame warm-up. Outside of losing the battle on the glass by one, which we have to be far better at, we hit on every statistical category.'
 
"We've said and known all year long that we have a group that could represent the conference in the tourney, & that's still the case," Burrows continued. "I'm happy for (seniors) Trent (Walker) and Jackson (Reid), to win their last home game here and to finish off the year 9-1 inside the 'Friendly Confines' (of Pohl Gym)."
 
Saturday's clash was never much in doubt, as Webster struggled from the field by shooting 32 percent under the duress of The W's suffocating defense. The Gorloks scored the game's opening basket and the contest was tied at 7-7 with 15-02 to play in the first half, when senior Jackson Reid converted a layup on a pass from Joe Haze Austin, and The W never looked back the rest of the day.
 
MUW expanded its lead to 15 points at the half, 37-22, thanks to its deft shooting. Entering the game as the NCAA Division III national leader in shooting percentage, the Owls hit a comfortable 56 percent (29-52) for the game from the floor, raising its season field goal percentage to 52.2 percent for the year.
 
 
The Owls maintained a double-digit advantage most of the game, pushing it to 23 points with 15:00 left in the game. The Gorloks cut the deficit to 13 points with 7:09 remaining, but could get no closer.
 
Sophomore transfer Tray Huguley led the Owls with his school-record 16th double-double of the season. Huguley scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, giving him 22-consecutive games in double figure scoring and 15th with 20-plus points scored.
 
 
Fellow sophomore transfer Joe Haze Austin matched Huguley's game-leading points, with 23 of his own. Austin was 7-of-10 from the field and 7-of-7 from the free throw line, to go along with four assists, three steals, and a block.
 
Tyler Shephard added 13 points and eight rebounds. Senior Trent Walker posted a double-double in his home finale, with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while dishing a game-high six assists and making two blocks.