ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western Men’s Basketball team made it a game with the defending national champs, but eventually came up short, dropping the final game of a three-game home stand, 64-58, to No. 25 Central Missouri.

Trailing by two at the half, Central Missouri opened the second half on a 6-0 run and MWSU was never able to pull within one of the Mules. A Cortrez Colbert jumper pulled the Griffons within striking distance, 41-40, with 8:44 to go but the Mules scored the next nine and never looked back.

The Griffons finished the game 49 percent from the field but were held to 22 percent from three-point range on 4-18 shooting. Central Missouri won the rebound battle by 10 and had seven assists to mtch their seven steals.

Colbert finished with a game-high 20 points followed by a season-high, 15 points, from Aaron Emmanuel. Missouri Western dropped to 7-8 with the loss and 3-5 in MIAA play. The men hit the road this weekend for a game at Southwest Baptist on Saturday before returning home to face Missouri Southern on Jan. 24.

— MWSU Sports Information —