MERCED, Calif. - Mason Westlake hit the go-ahead jumper with 25 seconds left and led all scorers with 22 points overall to lead the University of California, Merced men's basketball team to an 80-76 win over Vanguard University in the season opener Saturday night on Hostetler Court.

The Bobcats (1-0) have now won five straight season openers and extend their home winning streak to eight games overall dating back to the 2019-20 season.

Fourteen of Westlake's 22 points came in the second half, nine in the final seven minutes as the Bobcats were battling back from a deficit. The Bobcats were down by as many as seven before Westlake led the come from behind victory. Tied 76-76 with 30 seconds left, Westlake had the ball at the wing and drove to the elbow before performing a spin-move to avoid a triple-team and knock down the go-ahead jumper. 

After a steal by Josiah Ajiake at the other end of the floor, Westlake was fouled and knocked down a pair of free throws to ice the game. Westlake's 20+ point game was his third straight in season openers, the seventh of his career.

Justin Nguyen set career-high's across the board in just his third career start, stuffing the stat sheet with 20 points, four assists, three steals and three rebounds. Nguyen shot 66% (8-12) from the floor and 50% (4-8) from three-point land.

Onkar Sidhu earned his second career start and was good for nine points and a game-high six assists. It was his second straight game dating back to last year with at least nine points and 5+ assists.

Jaron Mertle and Tiler Fears were strong off the bench for the Bobcats, scoring eight and seven points, respectively, to go along with career-high's in other statistical categories. A career-high three of Mertle's seven rebounds came on the offensive glass, while Fears tallied a career-high five assists.

Ajiake, who was announced in the starting lineup for the first time in his career, got the 2021-22 season underway with a baseline jumper on the opening possession. The Bobcats led by at least two possessions for the majority of the first half and by a game-high 12 points with three and half minutes remaining until intermission. The Bobcats built that 12-point advantage via a 10-2 run highlighted by fastbreak buckets by Fears and Sidhu. Westlake also had four points in the surge.

However, Vanguard ended the half on a 13-4 run and the Bobcats lead was trimmed to just one possession at intermission. The Bobcats, who were able to hold on to the lead, have now led at halftime in nine of their last ten games dating back to the start of last season.

The Bobcats shot 63% (19-30) in the opening half.

Vanguard scored the first four points out of the break and the Bobcats trailed for the first time since midway through the first half. A Robert Benson putback got the Bobcats back out in front and the two teams traded leads for the first five minutes of the second half.

Tied at 50, Vanguard's leading scored Garrett White (21 points) got inside for a layup and the Lions built off that and led for the next ten minutes of game time. The largest lead was 64-57 with 8:47 showing on the clock.

Head coach Kevin Pham's team held the margin there and slowly chipped away at it, eventually coming back to tie the game at 72 after back-to-back baskets down low by Mertle. The score was also tied 74-74 and 76-76, before Ajiake and Westlake teamed up on the offensive and defensive end to secure the victory.

Westlake hit the game-winning turn-around jumper with 25 seconds left and then out of a timeout and the shot clock off for Vanguard, Ajiake fought and won the battle for the loose ball before handing it off to the Bobcats top free throw shooter, Westlake, who was fouled.

Westlake was at the charity stripe with five seconds left. He knocked down both shots to make it a two-possession game which stood as the final, 80-76.

The Bobcats ended the night shooting 56% (35-62) from the floor, 28% (7-25) from downtown and 50% (3-6) from the foul line. 

UC Merced assisted 18 of their 35 baskets compared to Vanguards nine assists on 31 field goals. Vanguard shot 49% (31-63) from the floor.

Freshman DeDrick Martin made his collegiate debut, scoring four points with three rebounds in eleven minutes of action.

Zach Phipps also had four points in his first game in front of the home crowd.

Looking ahead, the Bobcats host first-year program Lincoln University on Tuesday, November 2 at 7:30pm inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.