HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - Mason Westlake poured in 25 points and Onkar Sidhu scored a go-ahead basket with 29 seconds left to give the University of California, Merced men's basketball team a 61-59 win over Westcliff University on Saturday afternoon.

The Bobcats (9-10, 6-3) have now won two straight games and six of their last seven. Sidhu's clutch bucket came after a series of moves to shake off his defender and get to the left block, where he then used his left hand to bank it off the glass. 

The score put the Bobcats up 60-59 and head coach Kevin Pham's team followed with two defensive stops and a made free throw to secure the win. There were three lead changes in the two minutes leading up to Sidhu's basket.

Like Sidhu, Westlake also came in clutch for the Bobcats and scored nine of his total 25 points in the final five minutes. His scoring output was a Cal Pac season-high and he hit six three-point field goals to help get to that mark. Westlake has gone for at least 20 points in two of the last three games and five times overall this season.

Kingsley Obiorah and Tiler Fears joined Westlake in double figures with 14 points and 12 points, respectively. Obiorah's scoring total tied his season-high. He also grabbed eight rebounds and blocked multiple shots for the sixth time in his last seven games.

Fears added three assists and two steals. 

Other individual notables include five rebounds from Robert Benson, three assists from Georgie Nze and two blocks each from Benson and Sidhu.

Scoring was hard to come by for both teams early on and the game was tied 12-12 midway through the first half. Caleb Gilbert broke the tie with a triple and the Bobcats used a 9-4 run to grab a two possession lead at 21-16. 

The game was tied 23-23 with three minutes left in the first half. Although the Bobcats scored the next four points, Westcliff responded with five straight of their own and held a 28-27 lead at intermission.

UC Merced and Westcliff traded baskets to start the second half, culminating in a 37-37 tie just over five minutes in. An Obiorah second chance basket allowed the Bobcats to retake the lead. The Bobcats were either in front or tied for the next six and a half minutes before eventually falling in a 51-47 hole with seven to go. 

The Bobcats trailed 56-51 with three and a half minutes left. Westlake cut into the deficit with a triple the next trip down the floor, and then after a defensive stop, Obiorah earned a trip to the charity stripe and bottomed both free throws to tie the game at 56. 

Three go-ahead shots were made in the final two minutes, including Sidhu's eventual game-winner.

Four of the Bobcats last five games have been decided in the last minute.

The Bobcats finished the night shooting 44% (23-52) from the floor and 39% (7-18) from beyond the arc. The Bobcats limited Westcliff to a 35% (19-54) shooting clip and took Warriors out of system as they were credited with just three assists.

The Bobcats are 3-0 all-time against Westcliff.

Looking ahead, the Bobcats host Simpson University on Monday, February 21 for Senior Night and the regular season finale. Tipoff from inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium is scheduled for 7:30pm.