MESA, Ariz. - Junior Ryan Haywood became the program's all-time steals leader but the University of California, Merced men's basketball team fell 84-71 to Benedictine University at Mesa on Thursday night inside Heap Gymnasium.
The Bobcats fell to 10-11 overall, 3-6 in California Pacific Conference play.
Haywood takes over the record that has been held since the program's second season of existence. Aki Chambers (2011-13) held the record at 110 steals. Haywood now has 111.
Haywood also added eight points and an assist Thursday night.
The game's leading scorer was Mason Westlake, who poured in 18 points, two short of a career-high. 15 of his points came from beyond the arc and the freshman is now five three-point makes away from breaking the Bobcats single-season triples record.
Junior Cole Taira pitched in 12 points and a team-high five assists, while Raphael Durr scored ten off the bench to notch his third straight double figure scoring effort.
Both UC Merced and BenU Mesa scored on their first possession as well as two of their first three possessions in what would go on to be the highest scoring first half of the season. A combined 81 points were scored in the half, with the BenU Mesa holding a 41-40 lead at halftime.
Sophomore Jonah Cottrell gave the Bobcats their first lead of the night at 20-19. His triple came during a UC Merced 7-0 run, turning a 19-13 deficit into the one point advantage.
Later in the half, the Bobcats used another offensive burst to retake the lead. Trailing 33-27, Westlake knocked down one of his five triples to cut the deficit in half and Taira added a strong take to the basket to pull within one at 33-32.
A second three-point field goal from Westlake put the Bobcats in front. Each team traded buckets the final two minutes of the half, but a buzzer beater heave from the Redhawks had them out in front 41-40 at intermission.
BenU Mesa scored down low on their first possession out of the break. Westlake countered with a three-pointer to even the score at 43, which marked one of two ties the rest of the night. The last tie came less than a minute later at 45-45.
A trio of makes from the free throw line put BenU Mesa in front for good and it was the start of a 16-4 run that put them up by double figures with 12 minutes left.
The Bobcats stopped the bleeding with six straight points, including a field goal from Durr bring the score to 61-55.
That was the closest the Bobcats came before a second BenU Mesa run, this time a 17-2 run, that extended the Redhawks lead to a game-high 21 points, 78-57.
Despite the loss, the Bobcats shot over 40% (27-66) from the field and sunk at least ten triples for the second time in the last four games. The Bobcats also won the turnover battle, forcing 16 and committing 12.
Other notables include a team-high seven rebounds from Ronnie Kozak. Sophomore Alfred Batmani grabbed four rebounds in eight minutes off the bench.
Up next, the Bobcats travel to Prescott, Ariz., to take on Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Arizona) on Saturday, February 2, at 6:30pm PST.
