HAYWARD, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's basketball team earned an 85-66 wire-to-wire victory over Lincoln University on Thursday night in its first game in three weeks.

The Bobcats (7-5) shot 50% from the field and outrebounded Lincoln 45-22 in the 19-point win.

Cameron Brown was one of four Bobcats in double figures and finished with 15 points, four rebounds, and two steals. With his offensive output, Brown passed Derek E'denchukwu for eighth all-time in program history with 756 career points and passed Cole Taira for the seventh most shots made with 275 made field goals.

Jayson Wiltz also scored 15 points and tied his career-high with five rebounds.

Elijah Charles was perfect from the field for the second consecutive game finishing with 12 points on 6-6 shooting. Charles, who has now made 17 consecutive field goals, also grabbed five rebounds and blocked a shot.

Jaron Mertle finished with eleven points and ten rebounds to record his third double-double of the season. He added three assists, two blocks, and a steal. Mertle's first block put him ahead of Ronnie Kozak for fourth in program history with 50 career blocks.

Pawllos Habtom pitched in eight points. Aidan Sevilla had seven assists and six points, while Josiah Ajiake added six points on 66% (2-3) shooting from beyond the arc. Myles Haynes grabbed five rebounds and had a steal.

The Bobcats opened the game on an 11-0 run with eight of the eleven points coming off Charles' buckets. Head coach Kevin Pham's team held Lincoln scoreless for the first four and a half minutes during the run.

After the Oaklanders slow start, they hit four three-pointers in the next four minutes and closed the gap to 20-16. The Bobcats followed with a 12-2 run capped by an Ajiake triple to go up 32-18 inside of eight minutes. A little later, UC Merced led by 20 points with 3:14 to go in the first half and went up by as many as 24, 49-25, after a Wiltz jumper. The Bobcats led 51-31 at intermission.

UC Merced also led by 20 points with 12 minutes to play in the game, but Lincoln produced a 13-2 run over the next five minutes to cut the Bobcats lead down to single digits at 64-55 with 6:45 remaining.

Tiler Fears then helped close the game for the Bobcats, starting and capping an 11-0 run playing with physicality. Haynes also threw down a two-handed slam in the game-sealing run which stretched three minutes and put UC Merced up 75-55 with 3:50 on the clock.

The lead held with the Bobcats finishing the night winning 85-66.

The Bobcats shot 50% from the field, 33% from downtown, and 76% from the charity stripe.

UC Merced forced 14 Lincoln turnovers, the second most in a road game this year.

With the win, UC Merced swept the season series with Lincoln and improved to 3-1 all-time against the opponent.

Up next, UC Merced will host Nobel on Saturday, January 4 at 7:30pm on Hosteler Court inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.