ANGWIN, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's basketball team trailed by 10 points with four minutes to go before bolting their way back for a game-winning shot opportunity, but the ball didn't bounce in the Bobcats favor and UC Merced fell 59-57 in the California Pacific Conference opener Saturday night against Pacific Union College.
The Bobcats (6-4, 0-1) late offensive surge was led by a trio of first year Bobcats, including Seth Cobb who had five of the Bobcats final ten points. Mason Westlake also knocked down a triple off a Ryan Haywood assist and Kyle Daugherty made a floater over a taller defender to cut the deficit to two points, 59-57, with 76 seconds left.
Each team had three possessions in the game's final minute but the 59-57 score stayed the same as both squads combined to shoot 0-6 from the field/foul line along with a pair of turnovers.
The ten-point deficit was one of three seven plus point deficits the Bobcats came back from to either have the chance at tying the game or taking the lead.
Early in the game, the Bobcats answered an 8-1 deficit with a 14-2 run. The climax of the run had the Bobcats up 15-10 midway through the first half.
Five different Bobcats scored during the stretch, including the Bobcats Saturday night leader Raphael "Cinco" Durr.
Durr finished with a team-high ten points on 62% (5-8) shooting in just 16 minutes of action before being ruled out for the rest of the game with an injury. Durr was also second on the team with four rebounds and two assists.
Both teams traded buckets, as well as a pair of mini runs in the final ten minutes of the first half. However, the last run was from Pacific Union and the Pioneers took a 29-25 lead in the locker rooms.
The Bobcats 29 points allowed in a half marked the ninth time this season that head coach Kevin Pham's team has allowed 30 points or less in a half.
Out of the break, Ryan Haywood scored the Bobcats first five points and it was a 31-30 game with 17:22 on the clock. Durr tied it up at 37-37 approximately five minutes later and his final bucket before exiting the game kept the Bobcats within one possession at 46-44.
PUC went up 57-47 with 3:48 left before the Bobcats came charging back to have a shot to win the game.
Overall, the Bobcats were led by 34 bench points. Aside from Durr's double figure effort, Cobb pitched in nine points and Westlake and Daugherty each made a pair of shots. Andrew Williams and Matt Laflin also scored off the bench.
Other notables include forcing the Pioneers into 17 turnovers.
Jonah Cottrell had two steals. Senior Aaron Laflin tallied seven points and eleven rebounds, while Haywood had a team-high three assists.
Looking ahead, the Bobcats look to pick up their seventh win of the year when San Diego Christian College comes to town on Tuesday, December 18. Tipoff is slated for 7:30pm inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
