LIBERTY, Mo. - In a match up of two teams receiving votes in the national polls, the William Jewell men's basketball faced a battle with Missouri Western and suffered their first loss of the season on Tuesday evening, 84-82. The Cardinals drop to 4-1 on the season. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Jewell started slow offensively, falling into an 11-0 hole after missing their first seven shots. Jordan Jermain got a runner in the lane to go through to break the ice and start a 22-12 run to get the Cardinals back within one. 
• With 1:42 to play in the half, Trey Shannon hit a three to give Jewell their first lead of the day, 33-31. Both teams traded buckets over the final 90 seconds to go to the break tied at 35.
• Missouri Western went on an 10-2 run early in the second half to try and break away but the Cards followed with 23-10 run, capped by an off balance three from Kobe McKinley to go back in front by five, 70-65. 
• Jewell maintained a lead over the next five-plus minutes until a dunk by Kiani Saxon tied things up once again at 79. Shannon hit another big three to give the Cardinals the advantage with 1:36 remaining in regulation.
• The Griffons scored the final five points including a traditional three point play with less than six seconds on the clock to escape with the two-point victory. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Jermain led all scorers with 29 points, on 9-of-18 from the floor and 4-of-9 from behind the arc. 
• McKinley added 20 points, also going 4-for-9 from three, while Shannon added 10 points. 
• The Cardinals shot 55% in the second half but were out-rebounded 38-17, including allowing 12 second chance points. 

UP NEXT
Jewell hits the road for the remainder of 2023 with the first of six stops being at Pittsburg State on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.