MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's basketball team fell 42-30 to No. 7 Montana Tech inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium on Wednesday night.
Despite the loss, the Bobcats (2-3) held Montana Tech to their lowest scoring output since November 29, 2018. Wednesday also marked the first time Montana Tech, who entered the game averaging 89.7 PPG, was held under 50 points in 109 total games dating back to the 2020-21 campaign.
For UC Merced, the 42 points allowed marked the third best defensive performance in program history. The Bobcats held Montana Tech to just 28% shooting and forced 16 Oredigger turnovers.
Offensively for UC Merced, Elijah Charles finished with a team-high seven points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Charles, the Cal Pac Defensive Player of the Week, has grabbed 12+ rebounds in three straight games. The junior also had three steals and two blocks on Wednesday night.
Cameron Brown had six points and eight rebounds, while Jaron Mertle and Aidan Sevilla scored five points each.
Brown opened the scoring 90 seconds into the night and then after a Charles free throw, Montana Tech took their first lead of the night scoring on back-to-back possessions. Scoring stopped for the next three minutes until Mertle gave the game another early lead change with a three-pointer.
A little later, Tiler Fears hit a three-pointer to put the Bobcats up 13-9 midway through the first half. The opponent responded with a 6-0 run over the next two minutes. Scoring was difficult to come by the rest of the half. The Orediggers led 15-13 with 9:01 left when the Bobcats held them without a field goal the rest of the period. Montana Tech's only points the final 9:01 were two free throws. For the Bobcats, they were able to get a bucket from Sevilla and two field goals from Charles. Charles put the Bobcats ahead 19-17 at halftime with a buzzer-beating offensive rebound putback.
Any momentum the Bobcats had with the halftime lead didn't carry over into the second half. Montana Tech started the final 20 minutes with seven straight points and an 11-2 run over the first seven minutes to garner a 28-21 advantage. Brown scored the only bucket in the stretch for the Bobcats.
Montana Tech led 30-23 midway through the half and then extended its lead to double digits for the first time with 8:13 remaining, leading 35-23. The Bobcats couldn't cut the deficit to less than ten points for the rest of the game, falling behind by a game-high 14 points with 3:58 to go. The Orediggers 14-point lead was 41-27. Sevilla converted a three-point play with three minutes on the clock, and then Montana Tech hit a free throw with 2:27 left, for the final point of the night.
Sevilla made his first start in a UC Merced uniform.
Offensively, UC Merced's 30 points scored were the fewest in program history.
Wednesday marked the first ever meeting between UC Merced and Montana Tech.
Looking ahead, UC Merced will play at Stanislaus State on Saturday, November 23. Tipoff from Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena is set for 3:00pm in Turlock, Calif.
