MERCED, Calif. - The University of California, Merced men's basketball team made its first seven three-point field goals and a program-record 15 overall to thump Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 82-54 Saturday night inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
The Bobcats (14-8, 6-4) win ties the biggest Cal Pac win in program history and the offensive output is the highest in a conference game since February 15, 2018. The Bobcats also recorded a season-high 19 assists in the win and all 14 players saw the floor.
Head coach Kevin Pham's team shot 45% (22-49) from the floor, 48% (15-31) from downtown and 88% (23-26) from the charity stripe. The Bobcats 23 made foul shots is the most in any game since November 22, 2016 and the most in any conference game since January 23, 2014.
The Bobcats converted their first 17 free throws and the 88% (23-26) final tally is the second highest in program history.
Jonah Cottrell led all scorers with 20 points and has hit that mark in three of the last four games.
However, he has gone for double figures in four straight which ties Mason Westlake's record set earlier this in the season (11/26, 12/6, 12/21, 12/30). Of the teams first five triples, Cottrell buried two and assisted on three. He finished 62% (5-8) from beyond the arc and 100% (5-5) from the charity stripe. The junior's five triples set a career-high and he jumped up eight spots in the NAIA to 14th overall with a .478 3-PT FG percentage. Cottrell also grabbed four rebounds and shared team-high with four assists (1 shy of career-high).
Mason Westlake inched closer to breaking the program's single-season three-point record with five triples on Saturday. He made his first two shots and finished making 50% (5-10) of his attempts overall. Westlake set the single-season record last year (59 3-PT FG's) and is now two makes away from breaking that in his sophomore campaign. Westlake is one of just three Cal Pac players to bury 50+ triples in 2018-19 & 2019-20. Blake Trent of Simpson and Duane Darrett Jr. of La Sierra join Westlake with the feat. Westlake also had two assists and shared game-high with two steals on Saturday night.
Chiwike E'denchukwu was good for 14 points, two assists and a steal and he has now scored double figures in three straight games, his longest streak since going for 10+ in six straight to end his sophomore campaign. He was 100% (8-8) at the foul line in the big win and is one of six Bobcats to make all eight free throws in a game all-time, but one of just three to ever do it in a conference game. E'denchukwu joins Cole Taira and Aki Chambers on the conference list.
Ryan Haywood, Justin Nguyen and Mason Johnson had six points each. Johnson also had five rebounds, while Ryan Haywood had four rebounds and shared game-high with four assists. Nguyen more than doubled his career triples output with two in his second career start.
Two nights after breaking the program's single-season blocks record, Kingsley Obiorah stuffed the stat sheet with a game-high ten rebounds, three blocks and a game-high two steals. Maceo Reddick, Andrew Williams and Angel Serena notched a steal off the bench.
The Bobcats limited Embry-Riddle to just 34% (18-53) from the floor and 23% (3-13) from downtown and have held their opponents under 60 points in four of the last six games and six of the last ten. No other Cal Pac team has accomplished that feat in a conference game more than three times this year.
The Bobcats led Embry-Riddle for all but the games first 90 seconds. Nguyen's triple that put the Bobcats up for good started a 15-3 run and the Bobcats were up by double figures six minutes in. Back-to-back Westlake three-pointers midway through the half had the Bobcats up 25-11 and Durr extended the lead to 29-13 after Obiorah found the senior cutting to the basket.
A 7-0 run towards the end of the half put the home team up 36-17. E'denchukwu highlighted the run with four points, including a bucket off an assist from one of the conference's best facilitators in Haywood.
UC Merced led 38-21 at the half largely in part to a 53% (8-15) shooting mark from downtown as well as holding Embry-Riddle scoreless for a four minute stretch and two different three minute stretches.
The second half started slow but once the Bobcats broke a five minute drought from downtown, they cashed in two straight and four of the next six overall to garner the largest lead of the game at 61-33. Cottrell had two of those four triples, while Haywood and Westlake had one each.
The Bobcats 61-33 advantage came with 9:54 remaining and the lead was at least 23 points the rest of the way. Highlights in the games final stretch include back-to-back Westlake triples, a Serena triple and strong play from Williams and Johnson. The Williams & Johnson duo combined for seven of the Bobcats final eleven points. Johnson also assisted on a Williams bucket.
Johnson accounted for the Bobcats final points at the charity stripe to cap off the 82-54 final.
Johnson was 86% (6-7) from the foul line in the win.
Looking ahead, the Bobcats host Simpson University on Senior Night scheduled for Thursday, February 13. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30pm with a ceremony honoring seniors Andrew Williams, Ryan Haywood and Raphael Durr prior.
