WEBSTER GROVES - Webster University Men's Basketball continued its early season struggles at home here Friday evening as the Gorloks suffered a disappointing 72-67 setback to Manchester (Ind.) University in the 11th-Annual Webster Classic at Grant Gymnasium.

With the loss, Webster fell to 0-3 at home this season and dropped its overall record to 1-4, while Manchester improved to 2-2 on the year.

In Friday's game, the Gorloks held a 67-58 following a basket from junior forward Rodson Etienne (West Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach) with 5:27 left in the game, but that would be the final points the Gorloks would score as the Spartans outscored Webster, 12-0, over the final five-plus minutes of the game to pick up the come-from-behind win. 

The loss spoiled another strong offensive performance from senior guard Josh Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./Clayton) as Johnson tied a season high with 30 points, including scoring 23 of Webster's 42 first half points. Johnson's strong first half helped the Gorloks hold a 42-34 lead at the half. With his 30 points, Johnson pushed his career scoring total to 876 points and move him within 124 points of becoming the 12th Gorlok to join the school's 1,000 Point Club. 

In the opening half, Webster jumped out to a 7-0 lead and led 12-4 when the Spartans used an 8-3 run to pull within 15-12 with 13:57 left in the first half. That run by Manchester ignited the Gorloks as Webster responded with a 16-6 run capped by a basket from Etienne to push its lead to 31-18 with 7:44 left in the half. The run was keyed by seven points from Johnson and five points from freshman guard Wynne Brown, Jr. (Memphis, Tenn./Bartlett). 

After the Spartans scored eight of the next 10 points to drop WU's lead to 33-26, Johnson would score seven of Webster's final nine points of the first half to give Webster its eight point lead at the half. 

While Johnson had the hot hand offensively in the first half for the Gorloks, Manchester's offense was paced by CJ Hampton, who scored 17 of his team high 21 points after halftime to help aid the Spartans second half rally. 

Senior forward Enrique Tankins (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland) scored the first points of the second half to give the Gorloks a 44-34 lead just 88 seconds out of the locker room, but Manchester would answer with a 22-12 run over the next nine-plus minutes to force the only tie of the game at 56. Hampton scored 13 of his team's 22 points during the run. 

The Gorloks, though, would answer with an 11-2 run keyed by a combined seven points from senior guard Blake Ferrell (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway South) and Etienne to take a 67-58 lead with 5:27 left in the game, before Manchester made its final run of the game, including taking the lead with 1:59 left in the game following a trey from Keiton Hall. Following Hall's trey that gave the Spartans its first lead of the game, the Gorloks missed four straight shots on its next possession down the court, including Tankins and senior guard Jordan Clay (St. Louis, Mo./Blackburn) missing consecutive 3-pointers. 

Webster scored just 25 points in the second half, while Manchester scored 38 points after halftime.

In addition to Johnson's 30 points, Etienne finished with 14 points and five rebounds, while Tankins tallied 13 points, five boards and four assists, but had five turnovers as Webster committed 17 turnovers, including eight in the second half that led to 11 points by the Spartans. 

While Hampton scored 21 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for Manchester, Jalmen Sullivan added 14 points, including going 4-for-7 from the 3-point line and DeMoines Whitney had 12 points and 13 rebounds to pace the Spartans. The Spartans held a 34-31 edge on the glass, including collecting 15 offensive boards. 

After shooting 62 percent from the field in the first half, the Gorloks shot just 34 percent from the floor after halftime and finished the game shooting 48 percent from the field and was 7-for-25 (28 percent) from the 3-point line. Webster has now shot under 30 percent from the 3-point line in four of its first five games this season. 

Manchester, who will face Westminster (Mo.) College in its final game of the Webster Classic on Saturday at 1 p.m., shot 45 percent from the field and 43 percent (9-for-21) from the 3-point line. 

The Gorloks only shot four free throws in the game as they were 2-for-4 at the line, while Manchester was 13-for-17 (77 percent) from the foul line. 

Webster forced Manchester into 19 turnovers that led to 32 points and the Gorloks held a 24-20 edge in points in the paint.

The Gorloks will conclude play in its 11th annual Webster Classic on Saturday afternoon with a 3 p.m. game against Hanover (Ind.) College, who picked up a 91-57 win in Friday's opener against Westminster.