LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Spalding University men's basketball team lost their third consecutive game, and their home opener 74-49 to Washington University in St. Louis on Friday night at Derek Smith Gymnasium.
 
The Golden Eagles were tied with the Bears with 10 minutes left in the first half but then WashU jumped out to a quick 10-point lead. Seven different Golden Eagles got into foul trouble, each with two at the halftime break. The Bears cruised into halftime with a 44-17 lead.
 
At halftime Spalding had 16 personal fouls and just 17 points. Shooting guard Brandon Goeing hit his first shot a three, in the short corner, but then missed his next six to end the half. He led all Spalding scorers with five points at the break.
 
For WashU Andrew Sanders and Kevin Kucera each had 14 points in the first half while the Bears shot 52 percent from the floor and 17-of-22 from the free-throw line.
 
The Golden Eagles came out with a better flow in the second half as Rylan Rowe came out and looked for his shot. He scored 10 of his 14 in the second frame and finished hitting 6-of-9 shots from the floor, including 1-of-3 from behind the arc. Spalding outscored the Bears 32-30 in the second half, but the big deficit at the half was too much to overcome for the Golden Eagles.
 
Rowe, Goeing and Nick Trisko each finished in double-figures with Rowe the high-man. The Golden Eagles scored just two bench points, coming from Domonique Ellis. The Golden Eagles finished shooting 38.8 percent, while WashU finished shooting near their season average at 45 percent from the floor.
 
The Golden Eagles will open up conference play on Wednesday, December 2, at 8:00 p.m. ET at Derek Smith Gymnasium against Westminster College.