VALLEJO, Calif. - The University of California, Merced men's basketball team went 2-0 in the Frank Dye Classic over the weekend. In the season opener, the Bobcats edged Eastern Oregon University 76-74 behind double figure scoring efforts from Cole Taira and newcomers Mason Westlake and Seth Cobb. On Saturday night, sophomore Jonah Cottrell poured in a career-high 17 points to guide the Bobcats past Bethesda University, 87-50.
Game One
A balanced Bobcat attack combined to shoot 43.3% (26-60) floor, 41.7% (10-24) from downtown. Five different Bobcats made a field goal in the first eight minutes and ten found the bottom of the cylinder before the night came to a close. Mason Westlake and Seth Cobb each tallied eleven points. Both offensive weapons, as well as senior Matt Laflin, each knocked down three triples. Westlake's offensive surge came in the first half, while Cobb and Laflin tallied all their three-point field goals in a big second half.
Cole Taira finished with ten points to become the fifth Bobcat in program history to record 650 or more career points. Taira's double figure scoring effort was also his 35th contest scoring at least ten points. The Bobcats all-time assists leader also shared game-high with four assists.
Other notables include seven points and three assists from Ryan Haywood and six points and a steal from Raphael Durr. Center Ronnie Kozak pitched in five points and hauled seven rebounds.
Game Two
The Bobcats 37-point win was their second largest in program history. Cottrell, the game's leading scorer with 17 points, broke a 4-4 tie to give the Bobcats their first lead of the night.
Cottrell also headed the 10-2 run that would follow to give the Bobcats their first double figure lead of the night at 16-6.
Andrew Williams extended the lead to 22-10 with his first of three buckets in the game. The largest first half lead was 14 points via a triple from Taira.
The Bobcats defense stood strong in the first half, allowing just 26 points and forced Bethesda into 12 turnovers. Durr anchored the defense and recorded all four of his steals in a five minute stretch after checking into the game with 13:42 on the game clock.
Cottrell and Haywood got the Bobcats rolling in the second half, combining for 15 of the Bobcats first 18 points to go up 56-33.
The Bobcats next four makes were all from beyond the arc, including two from Westlake.
Junior Kyle Daugherty took over down the stretch and scored ten points and hauled in three rebounds to finalize the 87-50 affair. Daugherty finished with 13 points in his second game as a Bobcat.
Overall, the Bobcats shot 44% (33-74). The largest lead of the night was 39 points, coming just under two minutes after Williams scored off an assist from Branson Garcia.
Other notables include six points and a block from Ryan Haywood and five points and five rebounds from Aaron Laflin. Junior Cole Taira totaled nine points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
Up next, the Bobcats host University of Saint Katherine in their home opener on Thursday, November 8. The jump is slated for 7:30pm on Hostetler Court inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
