MERCED, Calif. - Chiwike E'denchukwu scored a career-high 26 points and the University of California, Merced men's basketball team held off La Sierra University in overtime, winning 88-82 on Friday afternoon inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.

The Bobcats (2-0) overtime game was their first overtime game since the win in the California Pacific Conference semifinals in 2018. All-time, today marked just the Bobcats eighth ever overtime affair.

Onkar Sidhu and Kingsley Obiorah helped get the Bobcats to the extra period. Sidhu knocked down a free throw to tie the game 76-76, while Obiorah blocked La Sierra's game-winning attempt at the buzzer.

Once in overtime, the Bobcats trailed just once and took the lead for good when E'denchukwu finished a drive to the basket to put his team up 84-82. The Bobcats led by two possessions for the final 75 seconds.

E'denchukwu's career-high 26-point effort bested his previous career-high of 21 set on February 15, 2018. E'denchukwu also stuffed the stat sheet with 14 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in the Bobcats second straight win. E'denchukwu also moved up in the record books in three different categories. Most notably, E'denchukwu passed up Aki Chambers for fifth all-time with 400 career rebounds. He is on track to jump up two more spots by the season's end. E'denchukwu also is now eighth all-time with 28 career double figure scoring games and ninth all-time with 653 points.

The Bobcats are 2-0 for the fourth straight season.

E'denchukwu was joined by four other Bobcats in double figures. Sidhu was in attack mode all afternoon and finished with 16 points on 50% (6-12) from the floor. Jonah Cottrell also pitched in 16 points and was able to knock down a pair of triples to inch closer to the century mark for three-point marks in his career. Cottrell, who now has 99 career triples, is on track to become just the fifth Bobcat in program history with 100 or more three-point makes.

Mason Westlake added 13 points, while Obiorah was good for eleven. Obiorah, who notched his second straight double-double with 12 rebounds, also contributed three steals and two blocked shots. Five of his eleven rebounds came on the offensive glass.

Obiorah has back-to-back double figure scoring games for the first time in his career.

In a much tighter game than the season opener, Friday's game saw 30 lead changes and neither team ever held a lead larger than two possessions. The Bobcats biggest lead was six points, while La Sierra's largest lead was five.

The Bobcats first six-point lead came midway through the first half when Sidhu and E'denchukwu scored back-to-back buckets from the right block. To no surprise, in a game that was as tight as it was, the Bobcats found themselves tied 26-26 just a few minutes later. 

With just under 90 seconds to go in the first half, Westlake buried his first of three triples on the day to put the Bobcats up by six again at 36-30. The Bobcats carried a 36-33 lead into intermission.

With 18:51 showing on the second half clock all the way until 11:08 showing, the margin was within two points. It was soon after when La Sierra took their biggest lead, 62-57 with just under nine minutes left in regulation.

With the help of Sidhu, the Bobcats came back to tie it at 64. The teams were also tied at 66, 70 and 74 before the 76-76 score showed on the board after 40 minutes of play.

Four Bobcats scored in the overtime period. Westlake and Obiorah combined for eight of the Bobcats 12 overtime points, including the first six to start the extra frame off.

Westlake also knocked down a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to finalize the Bobcats 88-82 win. Westlake has sunk all four of his free throw attempts this year.

As a team, the Bobcats shot 45% (33-72) from the floor, 29% (7-24) from beyond the arc and 75% (15-20) from the charity stripe.

Other team notables include 15 points off 13 La Sierra turnovers and winning the battle on the boards, 47-35.

Mason Johnson had a career-high seven rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench.

Looking ahead, the Bobcats remain home and will host Pacific Union College on Wednesday, March 24 at 6:00pm.