MERCED, Calif. - Five Bobcats scored in double figures and the University of California, Merced men's basketball team remained perfect at home with a 66-56 win over Lincoln University on Saturday night inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.

The Bobcats (3-2) have now started 3-0 at home for the third time in the last four years under head coach Kevin Pham.

Josiah Ajiake led the Bobcats with 12 points on 50% (4-8) shooting from beyond the arc. Ajiake's four three-point field goals tied his career-high. Ajiake also had a steal.

Kingsley Obiorah finished with eleven points and eleven rebounds for his first double double of the season. Obiorah's double figure scoring effort was his fourth in the Bobcats first five games and his third time hitting that mark while shooting over 50% from the floor. Obiorah shot 56% (5-9) this time around. One of the most efficient scorers in program history also stuffed the stat sheet with two steals and two blocks. 

Jayson Wiltz also scored eleven points and buried a season-high three triples and sunk two foul shots en route to his double figure outing.

Mason Westlake and Chris Bramah scored ten points each and both knocked down a pair of three-point field goals. Westlake hauled in six rebounds, Bramah dished out four assists.

Jaron Mertle was good for five points and eight rebounds.

Georgie Nze dished out a career-high five assists.

Other individual notables include four assists from Cameron Brown and three rebounds from DeDrick Martin.

The Bobcats led for 39 of the 40 minutes in a strong well-rounded team win on Saturday night. Defensively, the Bobcats 56 points allowed was their best showing of the early season. 

Lincoln won the opening tip and scored on their first possession. Obiorah answered on the other end, and then Westlake knocked down a free throw on an opponent technical foul, putting the Bobcats in front the rest of the way (aside from a 28-28 tie).

The Bobcats extended their lead to eight points on a couple occasions, including as early as the 12-4 mark and then again at 22-14 later in the half. Then tied 28-28 in the final minute, Wiltz knocked down a long triple to put the Bobcats on top 31-28 heading into halftime.

UC Merced opened the second half on a 16-8 run to go up by as many as eleven points at 47-36. The run stretched over the first seven minutes of the second half and saw both Westlake and Ajiake splash a triple. After Lincoln cut the Bobcats lead to six points, Mertle hit a big triple to help create separation again. 

Wiltz hit a shot from beyond the arc with just under five minutes to play to give the Bobcats a game-high lead of 13 points, 61-48. 

Overall, UC Merced shot 36% (22-61) from the floor, 40% (12-30) from downtown and 63% (10-16) at the foul line. The Bobcats assisted on 17 of their 22 made field goals. The Bobcats outrebounded Lincoln 41-37.

Up next, a quick turnaround will have the Bobcats playing an exhIbition game at University of San Francisco on Sunday, November 13 at 2:00pm inside War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.