ROCKLIN, Calif. – Senior Aaron Laflin recorded his second double-double of the season and the University of California, Merced men's basketball team earned their largest comeback win in program history with a 72-64 win over University of Saint Katherine in the first game of the New Year's Classic Tipoff Friday afternoon.
The win marked the (RV) Bobcats (7-5, 1-0) second win over USK this year and they improved to 3-0 on a neutral court in the 2018-19 season.
Laflin's double-double was a stellar 16 point, 15 rebound effort. His 15 rebounds marked a career-high, while his 16 points marked his fifth game in 2018 recording double figures.
Three other Bobcats scored in double figures, including junior guard Andrew Williams who notched 14 points off the bench. Jonah Cottrell tallied 11 points and a career-high four steals. Ryan Haywood made it a quadet with ten points and four assists.
The Bobcats largest deficit, 36-16, occurred after USK's Kane Daniels closed out the half with a breakaway dunk.
Out of the break, the Bobcats cut the 20-point margin to 15 points after a triple and a strong bucket in the paint.
Cottrell found the bottom of the net a few possessions later to come within 12 points, 40-28.
After back and forth action to keep the game within 12, A. Laflin went on a 4-0 run and Raphael "Cinco" Durr followed his teammates actions by scoring six straight points to bring it to a one possession game, 46-43.
At this point in the game, the Bobcats were on a 27-10 run with just over ten minutes to play.
Williams tied it up at 51-51 and UC Merced's first lead of the game was 52-51 via a Ryan Haywood conversion at the charity stripe. Williams and Taira combined to give the Bobcats a 61-53 lead with four minutes left on the board.
The lead, although it shrunk, held the rest of the game and the Bobcats sealed the victory with free throws in the final minute.
Overall, the Bobcats shot 54% (19-35) in the second half compared to the opponents 39% (9-23). Other second half notables in the comeback effort include outrebounding the Firebirds 22-12 and committing just one turnover, while forcing ten. Cole Taira recorded two steals.
On top of Laflin's doube-double, he also blocked a shot to tie George Idehen as the progam's all-time blocks leader.
The Bobcats continue their New Year's Classic Saturday afternoon as they take on the host William Jessup University Warriors at 3:00pm.
