Showing the effects of a two-week layoff, the Central College men's basketball team surrendered 58 second-half points and was outscored by the University of Dubuque 93-74 Wednesday night.

The Dutch (4-8 overall, 1-2 American Rivers Conference) also couldn't capitalize on their offensive opportunities, getting outshot from the field 48.5 percent to 37.1.

The already undersized Central lineup was further thinned by injuries, most notably to starting forward Caden Mauck (Kansas City, Mo., Blue Springs South HS). He's expected to return to action soon but didn't dress Wednesday. Yet coach Craig Douma isn't looking for sympathy.
           
"I was really disappointed in our effort defensively," he said. "We're thin right now and we're really small, but I expect more out of our players. We've got to rebound better and we've got to be able to take care of the ball.
           
"Offensively, I was really pleased with our ball movement. We got good looks all night long. You can't ask for better looks than what we were getting. But we've got to finish at the rim and we've got to make shots. That's the game of basketball."
           
It was a defensive struggle early as it was just 11-11 with 10:37 left in the first half, with the Spartans (10-3 overall, 3-1 conference) inching ahead 35-29 at halftime. But Dubuque shot 57.6 percent in breaking the game open in the second half.
           
Guard Jaden Moody (junior, Cambridge, Ballard HS) had 17 points and five rebounds for the Dutch. Freshman Thomas Spoehr (Bennington, Neb.) got the start at center in place of Mauck and added 15 points with eight boards while forward Seth Wood (junior, Branson, Mo.)  had 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
           
Central was outrebounded 42-35.
           
Central continues its three-game homestand Saturday, tackling Wartburg College in a 4 p.m. contest. It's part of a women's-men's doubleheader at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium. Wartburg (7-5 overall, 1-2 conference) swept two games from the Dutch a year ago. The twinbill will be broadcast on KRLS-FM (92.1) with a video webcast and live stats available through athletics.central.edu.
           
"We've got to regroup," Douma said. "We've got a good team coming in here Saturday. This is a big basketball game for us."
           
Douma said he'll have to adjust Central's playing rotation.
           
"We've got a short bench right now," he said. "Our starters will have to play a lot of minutes or we'll have to find ways to get different guys on the floor in spots. We'll continue to try anything."