MERCED, Calif. - The University of California, Merced men's basketball team shot 53% from the field and played suffocating defense en route to a 79-51 victory over La Sierra University Thursday night inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
With the win, the Bobcats (12-6, 4-2) move into second place in the California Pacific Conference and it sets up a Saturday night contest featuring the Cal Pac's current top two teams, UC Merced & 23-ranked University of Antelope Valley.
The 28-point win is the biggest Cal Pac win in program history and the biggest win overall since October 27, 2018. The win also marks the Bobcats second three-game winning streak this year.
Senior guard Ryan Haywood led the charge offensively, tying his season-high with 19 points on 82% (9-11) shooting. He made his first five shots, including a fadeaway jumper to give the Bobcats the lead for good at 13-12. With back-to-back 18+ point performances, Haywood is now 69 points away from becoming the second 1,000 point scorer in program history.
Haywood was the only Bobcat in double figures on Thursday night but five others pitched in at least seven points, including four Bobcats off the bench.
Kingsley Obiorah was strong in the paint and neared his second career double-double with nine points and eleven rebounds. Obiorah also blocked four shots for the third time this season, the only player in the Cal Pac to accomplish that feat. Obiorah is five blocks away from breaking the program's single-season record. George Idehen currently holds the record of 31 blocks which came in the 2013-14 season.
Mason Johnson didn't miss a shot and finished with a season-high nine points. All of his nine points came in the second half and he buried a triple midway through the second half that put the Bobcats up by 20 for the first time Thursday night.
Justin Nguyen was good for a career-high eight points off the bench, while Jonah Cottrell and Andrew Williams finished with seven points each. Williams was a big part of the Bobcats 53% shooting effort, setting up open looks and tied his career-high with five assists.
Mason Westlake led all players and tied his career-high with three steals. Chiwike E'denchukwu had two steals.
E'denchukwu also notched an assist on the games first bucket, finding an open Alfred Batmani on the left block. The Bobcats led for the first five minutes before one of the Cal Pac's leading scorers, DJ Everage, put La Sierra on top 7-6. Both teams scored on two of their next three possessions and Haywood's tough shot that put the Bobcats up for good sparked an 8-0 run to extend the lead to seven points, 19-12. Four different Bobcats scored during the run.
The lead shrunk to a single point at 23-22 but back-to-back steals from Nguyen and Cottrell saw the Bobcats regain a two possession lead with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.
Obiorah put the home team up 34-26 soon after and the Bobcats held a 34-28 lead at intermission. The Bobcats have held a two possession lead at the half in three of the last four home games.
The second half was a clinic for the Bobcats as they outscored La Sierra 45-23 and led by double figures for the final 18 minutes and 56 seconds. The Bobcats also led by 20+ points for the final seven minutes.
UC Merced created separation by scoring on its first three possessions and seven of its first nine. E'denchukwu and Westlake highlighted the stretch with back-to-back triples. Westlake has made at least one three-point field goal in 17 straight games.
The Bobcats led 57-36 with 12 minutes to play and although the margin dipped below the 20-point plateau soon after, the closest La Sierra came was 57-41 with 9:32 on the clock.
Cottrell had the Bobcats up by 20+ points for good with a triple in the corner off a Williams assist. Seth Cobb matched Cottrell one possession later for a 65-41 lead.
Maceo Reddick checked in towards the end of the night and helped extend the Bobcats lead with a breakaway one-handed slam for his first career bucket. He also hit his first career three-pointer a couple possessions later to give the Bobcats a 77-51 lead. Nguyen capped off the scoring with a tough finish near the basket.
The Bobcats 53% (35-66) shooting effort marks the second highest shooting percentage of the year, a touch below the offensive clinic put on against Pacific Union College on January 4.
Other notables include scoring 27 points off 20 La Sierra turnovers. The Bobcats committed a season-low seven turnovers and improved to 7-2 against the Golden Eagles under fifth year head coach Kevin Pham.
Looking ahead, the Bobcats host the two-time defending Cal Pac Tournament Champion and 23rd-ranked University of Antelope Valley Pioneers on Saturday, January 25 at 7:30pm. The first 400 fans to the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium receive a free "White Out" T-shirt. Doors open at 4:30pm as the women's basketball team starts the night with a 5:30pm jump.
