BABSON PARK, Fla. (January 20, 2018) – The Warriors played a pretty strong game overall, but the Fire were just a little bit better as the Webber International University men's basketball was beaten by No. 15 Southeastern University, 93-82, in a high-scoring game on Saturday inside the Sabbagh Athletic Center.

Webber's record dropped back below .500 to 8-9 overall and 5-6 in The Sun Conference. Webber began the day in a three-way tie with the Fire and the College of Coastal Georgia for fourth in The Sun Conference standings, but Southeastern (13-7, 6-5) was able to snap its five-game conference losing streak after beginning the league slate 5-0.

Despite the loss, the Warriors showed improvement from their first meeting with the Fire when Webber fell by 31 (98-67).

Webber nearly shot 49 percent from the field and nearly 42 percent from three in the first half to take a two-point lead (46-44) at halftime, but the Fire shot just a little bit better, finishing at exactly 50 percent from the field for the game and finishing at 53.8 percent from 3-point range.

Both teams pulled down 41 rebounds and committed 11 turnovers with seven steals, but Southeastern out-assisted Webber 19-14 and held a 26-20 advantage in fast break points. Both teams finished with 16 points off turnovers, 15 second chance points and 42 points in the paint.

Johnathan Childs scored 16 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for the fifth double-double of his final season as a Warrior, and Osandai Vaughn added a team-high 18 points to go along with six boards and two assists. Nikita Orap added 13 points on three 3-pointers, and Tommie Luke scored nine points while adding four rebounds and three assists.

Other strong performances from the Warriors included Nicholas Blocker with eight points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks; Joseph Serrano with eight points, four rebounds and two assists; Sheldon Durant with five points; and Obi Romeo with four rebounds.

Despite the multiple good games from the Warriors' players, Southeastern's Josiah Barsh stole the show, finishing with 32 points on a 7-for-7 mark from three, a 10-of-13 effort from the field, and a 5-of-6 mark from the foul line. Barsh entered the contest with only 13 3-pointers under his belt all season.

Webber's largest lead of the game came after the first possession of the second half as Vaughn scored a layup to put the Warriors ahead by four at 48-44. It was the sixth straight point for Vaughn, who scored twice at the end of the first half to send the Warriors into the locker room up 46-44 after trailing by as much as 11 (36-25) with 7:18 left in the opening half.

The Warriors then fell behind by nine (67-58) with 11 minutes left in the game before a 3-pointer by Garrett Woodmansee three minutes later got the Warriors to within three at 69-66. A layup by Luke less than a minute later made it a one-point deficit at 71-70.

Serrano scored a fast break layup with 6:37 on the clock to again get Webber within one at 73-72, but from there, the Fire went on an 8-1 run over the next minute and half to go ahead by eight at 81-73.

Back-to-back free throws by Childs and another score by Serrano got the Warriors back to within four at 81-77 with 4:19 left in the game, and then an and-one by Vaughn with 3:35 left made it a five-point game at 85-80. However, Southeastern scored each of the next six points to go up 11 and put the game away as Webber missed six consecutive shots and two free throws during the 6-0 span for the Fire.

Webber will travel to Temple Terrace, Florida, to take on Florida College at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 25, in nonconference action. It will be the final nonconference game of the season for Webber, who fell to the Falcons by five (70-65) in a close game back on November 28, 2017. The Warriors led by three with only 1:17 to go in the first meeting, but could not close the deal.