FRESNO, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's basketball team held Fresno Pacific University to 53 points but struggled offensively and fell 53-40 to the Sunbirds on Saturday night at the Special Events Center.
Despite the loss, the Bobcats (2-2) 53 points were the fewest given up against a NCAA Division II opponent in the Kevin Pham era.
The Bobcats held FPU to just 32% from the floor and forced 18 turnovers. Over the final ten minutes of the game, UC Merced forced eight turnovers and allowed just five total points on one made field goal.
Blake Hudson highlighted the Bobcats defensive numbers with three steals and two blocks. The freshman point guard also scored five points and grabbed four rebounds.
Four Bobcats had at least one steal with three others recording a block.
Tiler Fears and Chris Bramah led the Bobcats offensive efforts with nine points each and combined for UC Merced's two three-point field goals.
Bramah's triple came in the first two minutes and it put the Bobcats up 5-0.
The Bobcats held onto the lead for the first five minutes of the night before FPU took their first advantage at 9-8. After Brandon Harmon finished at the rim for a lead change, Fresno Pacific countered with a 19-4 run over the next ten minutes to build a double figure lead that reached as many as 14 points.
The Bobcats would trail 30-17 at intermission and couldn't pull within ten points the rest of the way.
UC Merced trailed 48-25 midway through the second half before locking up defensively and finishing the game on an 18-5 run. Fears scored the Bobcats first seven points during the surge.
A Mertle bucket had the Bobcats within 13 points with two minutes left but both teams were scoreless to the buzzer.
UC Merced finished the night shooting 31% (17-54) from the floor, 12% (2-16) from downtown, and 50% (4-8) from the charity stripe.
Up next, UC Merced will host La Sierra University in the California Pacific Conference opener on Thursday, November 30 at 7:30pm inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
