St. Louis, Mo. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team earned a 79-56 victory at Webster University (Mo.) Friday night in the Webster Classic in Grant Gymnasium.  The Eagles, receiving votes on the D3hoops.com Preseason Top-25 Poll, improve to 3-0 on the season while the Gorloks drop to 0-4.

In the first ever meeting between the two teams, Webster (Mo.) raced out to an early 7-2 lead before UWL used a 7-2 run to force an 9-9 tie with 13:37 left in the first half on an Austin Fritz jumper.  The Gorloks led by as three points the rest of the half, including 24-21 with 5:03 remaining after a Hunter Ward jumper. The Eagles went on a 11-2 run to end the half to lead 32-26.  Four different players scored for UWL in the run.

UWL opened the second half on a 10-0 run to lead 42-26 with 17:21 remaining after a Ben Meinholz three-point play.  The Gorloks cut the lead to 44-33 with 15:54 left on a Hunter Ward three-point field goal and later trailed 54-43 with 11:47 remaining on a CJ Moore jumper, but the Eagles used a 12-0 run to lead 66-43 with 7:15 left.  UWL's Tanner Bruchs hit three consecutive three-point field goals in the run.  Webster (Mo.) could get no closer than 17 points the rest of the game.

Ken Koelbl, in his 14th season as head coach at UWL, earned his 190th career win Friday night.  He is now 190-148 (.562) in his career.

UWL, 3-0 on the season for the first time 2013-14, shot 47.8% from the field Friday, including 50.0% (10-of-20) from three-point range, and 71.4% (five-of-seven) at the free throw line.  The Eagles shot 60.0% (18-of-30) from the field in the second half, including 61.5% (eight-of-13) from three-point range. UWL totaled 22 assists and eight turnovers while recording five steals in the game.

Meinholz led four players in double figures with 19 points, finishing eight-of-13 from the field nad three-of-three at the line.  Bruchs totaled 15 points, all coming in the second half as he went five-of-seven from three-point range.  Sam Skoyen finished with 12 points and six rebounds while Fritz had 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists.  Zach Schradle totaled nine points and team-high 10 rebounds.

Webster (Mo.) shot 36.2% from the field, including 33.3% (five-of-15) from three-point range, and 81.8% (nine-of-11) at the line.  Ward led the Gorloks with 13 points while Moore finished with 12 and Xavier Dortch had 10.

UWL returns to action Saturday, November 26 facing MacMurray College (Ill.) at 1 p.m. in the Webster (Mo.) Classic.