ANGWIN, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's basketball team took down Pacific Union College, 86-68, to win its ninth straight game and tie the longest winning streak in program history.
The Bobcats (15-5, 6-0) nine-game streak matches the streak from the 2020-21 season. Also of note, UC Merced is 6-0 in Cal Pac play for the first time since the 2020-21 season.
Cameron Brown led the Bobcats with 15 points and ten rebounds, his first double-double of the season and the fifth of his career. He is just the eighth player in program history to register five double-double's.
Jayson Wiltz connected on his 100th three-point field goal as part of a 15-point night. He shot 60% from the floor, hitting three triples. Wiltz is one of six Bobcats all-time with at least 100 three-point field goals made.
Pawllos Habtom scored a career-high 15 points and hauled in five rebounds.
Tiler Fears notched a season-high 14 points while shooting 80% (4-5) from the field and 100% (5-5) at the free throw line. He also had two steals.
Jaron Mertle and Blake Hudson added six points each and grabbed seven and four rebounds, respectively. Mertle, who also had three assists, is now four rebounds away from becoming UC Merced's all-time leading rebounder.
UC Merced's scoring output, 86 points, are the most in a Cal Pac game this season and are tied for the second most points ever in a non-overtime road game.
Head coach Kevin Pham's squad shot 55% from the floor and 40% from downtown, while only committing four turnovers. It's the Bobcats fewest amount of turnovers since January 19, 2023.
The Bobcats scored the first five points of the game and opened the night on a 15-8 run over the first six and a half minutes, highlighted by two Wiltz three-pointers. A little later, Habtom converted an offensive rebound putback to push the Bobcats lead to eight points and then Mertle cleaned up the glass to give UC Merced its first double figure lead of the night, 27-16 with 8:42 to play in the opening stanza.
UC Merced led by 10+ points the rest of the night. The Bobcats biggest first half advantage was 16 points, 41-25, in the 30 seconds leading up to intermission. PUC beat the buzzer to make it 41-27 going into halftime.
The two teams traded buckets over the first eight minutes of the second half before Habtom sparked a 14-3 run with a three-point play. The Bobcats run spanned three minutes, extending the lead to 25 points at 70-45. Habtom also knocked down a triple in the surge.
The Bobcats also led by 25 points, 80-55, with five minutes left in the game on their way to victory.
UC Merced's final margin of victory, 18 points, is the second biggest in a conference game this year.
UC Merced held PUC to shoot just 35.8% from the field and 26% from downtown. The Bobcats also held a +17 advantage on the boards.
With the victory, the Bobcats have now won six consecutive games against PUC.
Up next, the Bobcats host Cal Maritime on Saturday, February 8 at 4:00pm inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium. The Bobcats officially clinch a playoff spot with a win.
