MARYVILLE, Tenn. - Webster University Men's Basketball early season struggles continued here Saturday as the Gorloks suffered a hard-fought 71-64 setback to Piedmont College in the opener of the Randy Lambert Classic hosted by Maryville College and held at Boydson Baird Gymnasium. 

With the setback, Webster falls to 0-3 on the season, while Piedmont moves to 2-0 on the season. The Gorloks will conclude the two-day Randy Lambert Classic with a 3 p.m. CST game against Maryville College, who suffered a 77-60 loss to Johnson University on Saturday. 

Against Piedmont, Webster had trouble taking care of the ball as the Gorloks committed a season high 22 turnovers that led 28 points by the Lions. In addition, Piedmont also held a 48-34 edge in points in the paint, including a 24-14 edge in the opening half. 

Junior forward Rodson Etienne (West Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach) and senior forward Enrique Tankins (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland) each scored 14 points and combined for nine rebounds apiece to pace the Gorloks, while senior guard Josh Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./Clayton) added 11 points, but had five turnovers and picked up four steals. Johnson has now scored in double figures in eight consecutive games dating to last season. 

Webster led 5-2 in the opening two-plus minutes of Saturday's game, before the Lions used a 19-5 run to take a 21-10 lead a little under 10 minutes into the contest. The Gorloks, though, responded with an 11-3 run over the next five minutes to pull within 24-21. All 11 of Webster's point during the run were scored by either Etienne (7) or Tankins (4). 

Following Webster's run, Piedmont closed out the first half on a 13-6 run to take a 37-27 lead at the half. 

In the first half, Piedmont shot 47 percent from the field, while Webster shot just 30 percent from the floor and was 3-for-10 from the 3-point line. The Gorloks stayed in the game in the opening half despite 13 turnovers thanks to a 28-16 edge on the boards, including a 10-2 advantage on the offensive glass. 

The Gorloks would come out of the locker room to open the second half as they used a 10-7 run capped by a trey from Johnson to pull within 44-37 with 16:33 left in the game. 

Piedmont, though, responded with a 19-12 run to push out to a 63-49 lead with 6:15 left in the game. Webster would not go away as they answered the Lions with a 22-8 run over the final six minutes of the game to cut the final margin to seven points. The closing run was aided by six points from freshman guard Wynne Brown, Jr. (Memphis, Tenn./Bartlett) and four points from Etienne. Brown, Jr., finished the game with eight points.

After shooting 30 percent from the field in the first half, the Gorloks shot 50 percent from the field after haftime to finish the game shooting 40 percent from the floor and 29 percent (6-for-21) from the 3-point line. 

Piedmont finished the game shooting 47 percent from the field and was held to 17 percent shooting (2-for-12) from the 3-point line. 

Miles Riley led Piedmont with 20 points, while Jordan Foote added a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds and Orry Clements-Owens had 10 points in the win. 

Webster finished the game with a 41-38 edge on the glass as along with Etienne and Tankins, who each had nine boards, senior guard Jordan Clay (St. Louis, Mo./Blackburn College) also had nine boards. 

While WU had 22 turnovers, Piedmont committed 18 turnovers that led to 12 points by the Gorloks.