(AP) -- Freshman Isaac Gardner scored a career-high 21 points and hit four three-pointers off the bench, but the Bulldogs were outscored in the second half by a dozen on the way to a 78-63 defeat to Missouri Western.
The Bulldogs (4-9, 2-7 MIAA) got a three-pointer right before the halftime buzzer by Matt Patterson to head into the break down three, 32-29, but, after the teams battled to a 55-52 Griffon lead with 10:51 to play,
MWSU (7-7, 5-4 MIAA) went on a 20-5 run to open up an 18-point cushion at 75-57 with less than three minutes remaining on the clock. TJ Johnson led the second-half charge for the Griffs, scoring 16 of his team-high 21 in the final 20 minutes.
Gardner helped keep the ’Dogs in the game through the first half, taking 13 points into the break behind 5-of-8 shooting and a pair of triples.
He added eight more in the second half to set a new career-high and marking his fifth double-figure game of the season.
No other Bulldog reached the ten-point mark, with Alex Henderson (9) and Vesko Filchev (8) coming closest.
The MIAA’s leading rebounder, Ethan Freeman, pulled down just three and played only 18 minutes (13 in the second half) after struggling with foul trouble early.
On the night, Missouri Western out-boarded the ’Dogs, 34-29, as Truman shot 43% from the field and 7-of-20 from beyond the arc.
Truman will return to action on Saturday afternoon to wrap up its current three-game homestand when they host conference-newcomer Lincoln (Mo.) at 3:00 pm.
The Blue Tigers were 2-10 overall (0-8 MIAA) entering Wednesday night’s action.
Courtesy Truman State University
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