The Westminster men's basketball team came out on top of Eureka College on Saturday afternoon. The win improves the Westminster Blue Jays to 5-17 on the season and 4-11 in conference play. 

Junior Brandon Drum scored the first five points for the Blue Jays, helping the team to a 9-2 lead four and a half minutes into the game. They jumped out to a 17-4 lead, and a three-pointer by junior Jay Zalis gave them a 23-9 advantage with 8:07 left in the first half.

The Blue Jays maintained a 10+ point lead the rest of the half, and two free throws by seniorBrandon Moore sent the team into halftime with the 32-18 lead.

Eureka brought the game within 10 with 15:24 on the clock, but two free throws from Drum put the Blue Jays back up by 12. Eureka scored six unanswered points to bring them back into the game, 40-34.

With 4:42 left to play, Eureka hit a three to put them within four, 45-41. The Blue Jays held the lead, but Eureka was fouled on a made shot. The good free throw knotted up the game at 48-48 with 2:06 to go. 

Eureka took their first lead of the game with 57 second on the clock. Junior Tanner Gentges went to the line with 26 seconds, taking back the lead. He went back to the line with 12 seconds on the clock, putting the Blue Jays up by three, 53-50. 

With one second on the clock, senior Verdis Lee Jr. was sent to the foul line. He missed the first, but made the second, bringing the Blue Jays up 54-50. 

In a last attempt, Eureka put up a three, but missed, ending the game with a 54-50 Blue Jay win. 

The Blue Jays shot 41 percent from the field. Junior Matt Murphy led the team with 10 points and five rebounds. Gentges added five boards, and Drum and freshman Tanner Cochran added nine points each. 

The Blue Jays will make up the cancelled conference game with Iowa Wesleyan College on Monday, February 16, with a 8:00 p.m. tip-off in the Historic Gymnasium.