Westmont Bedevils Master’s

Through the years, The Master’s College basketball team has had about as much luck against Westmont as the Washington Generals have had against the Harlem Globetrotters.

Before Tuesday night’s meeting at Master’s, the Mustangs had faced Westmont 27 times and had lost on all but one occasion.

But Master’s, fielding its strongest team since the 1971-72 season, hoped the 28th meeting would be different than most of the others. It wasn’t.

Westmont, shooting 70% from the field in the second half and 59% for the game, proved some things never change by turning back a spirited Master’s, 79-66.

The loss dropped Master’s to 17-9 overall and 9-3 in National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics District 3 play. Westmont is 16-8, 9-4. The top seven teams in the district qualify for the playoffs, and Master’s is currently fourth, trailing district-leading Biola (10-3) by a game. But, if nothing else, the Mustangs earned respect Tuesday.

“We used to just blow them out, but now they’re tough,” said Westmont’s Chris Hahs, who had 23 points and seven rebounds.

It was difficult to tell in the first half that these were two of the district’s top teams--they combined for 34 turnovers.

Westmont, under constant harassment from Master’s full-court pressure, finished with 29 turnovers to the Mustangs’ 24, but the Warriors hit 10 of their first 12 shots in the second half to erase a 34-31 halftime deficit and assume a 57-50 lead with less than 10 minutes to play.

Master’s struggled from the field after halftime, shooting 31%. The Mustangs’ top scorer, Tom Bruner, was in foul trouble all night and scored just nine points before fouling out with 42 seconds left.

“Tom’s our catalyst. He makes us go,” Master’s Coach Mel Hankinson said. “When he’s on the bench, we’re in trouble.”

The Mustangs trailed, 64-62, with six minutes to play but went the next 4 1/2 minutes without a point as Westmont took a 72-62 lead with 1:40 left.