From Washington University Athletics
Senior Nick Burt equaled his career-high with 17 points and added a career-best eight assists to lead the No. 3-ranked Washington University in St. Louis men's basketball team to an 80-70 win at Webster University Wednesday in St. Louis.
With the win, the Bears improve to 9-0 for the first time since the 2008-09 season, and for the third time in school history. Webster had its four-game win streak snapped and fell to 6-3.
Senior forward Matt Palucki led the Bears with 21 points and 10 rebounds, marking his fourth double-double of the season and 13th of his career. Senior guard David Fatoki added nine points, nine assists and five rebounds, while junior guard Luke Silverman-Lloyd had nine points. Junior forward Mitch Styczynski added eight points and six rebounds.
Washington U. shot 50.8 percent (32-63) from the field, and finished 71.4 percent (10-14) at the free-throw line. Webster shot 42.9 percent (27-63) from the field and 62.5 percent (10-16) at the foul line. The Bears outrebounded Webster 42-32, and had a 20-9 advantage in second-chance points.
Palucki scored eight of the Bears' first 12 points of the game as Washington U. jumped out to a 12-4 lead. After Webster made it 17-10 with a steal and dunk, junior forward Brandon Staffeil hit a jumper to start an 8-0 run for the Bears to extended their lead to 25-10 with 8:30 remaining in the first half.
The Gorloks went on a 15-2 run over the next six minutes to cut the lead to 27-25. After a putback by Styczynski, Webster scored another basket to again make it a two-point game. The Bears finished the half with a 6-0 run, including a pair of floaters by Fatoki, to take a 35-27 lead at half.
Webster hit a pair of three-pointers early in the second half to get to with 41-35 with 16:45 to play, but Burt accounted for the first eight points of the half for the Bears and his bucket with 16:28 to play made it 43-35. A free throw by Palucki made it 46-38 and started a 12-2 run for Washington U. that extended the Bears' lead to 57-40 on a jumper by Silverman-Lloyd with 11:42 to play.
The Gorloks chipped away at the Bears' lead and a fastbreak layup made it 72-61 with 4:57 left in the game. The teams traded scores until a pair of free throws by Palucki extended Washington U.'s lead to 80-65 with 2:12 left.
Ahmad Smith scored 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting to lead Webster, while CJ Moore added 14.
Washington U. returns home to face No. 5-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University Saturday, Dec. 13, at 4 p.m.
Bear Notebook: Washington U. leads the all-time series with Webster, 21-2, and has won the last four meetings … The Bears have won 15 straight games away from home … Palucki increased his career scoring total to 995, and is five points shy of becoming the 23rd member of the 1,000-point club.