Westmont the Latest to Fall to Master’s

Times are changing for the better for The Master’s College men’s basketball team.

The Mustangs added further proof of that Tuesday night with a 69-56 victory over Westmont in a nonconference game at The Master’s.

Although the Mustangs have only won three of 32 meetings with district power Westmont, it was their second victory in the last three games. The Master’s also avenged a 67-64 loss in the second round of last year’s NAIA District 3 playoffs.

Emeka Okenwa had 22 points and 10 rebounds for The Master’s (13-3), but several players contributed to the Mustangs’ stampede at the start of the second half.

Leading, 27-26, at halftime, Master’s scored 18 of the first 22 points after intermission to take a 45-30 lead with 12 minutes 19 seconds to play.

Five players scored during the run, which began on a short jump shot by Okenwa and was capped by a pair of three-point shots by Mike Penberthy that hit nothing but net.

“I think they just wore us down in the second half,” Westmont Coach John Moore said. “Our guys played so hard in the first half, applying as much defensive pressure as possible, that it took a lot out of them. . . . You have to be in great, great shape to do that for a whole game and we couldn’t.

“You have to give Master’s credit, they took it to us.”

Bill Oates, first-year coach at Master’s, credited his team’s defense for the victory, the Mustangs’ second in a row and ninth in the last 10 games.

“We really didn’t shoot the ball tonight like we’re capable of,” Oates said. “But we picked up our defensive intensity in the second half and really got after them.”

While several Westmont players seemed to be a half-step slow in the second half, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Okenwa appeared to get stronger: He scored 16 points after intermission.

“We went to him a lot in the second half because he was able to get open underneath,” Oates said. “But this team has proved all year that there’s a lot more to our offense than just him.”

James Mosley added 11 points and Doug Leaman scored 10 for The Master’s.

Mike Spears scored 12 points and Matt Gazaway had 11 for Westmont (7-4).

Master’s led by one at halftime after going on a 11-5 run to close the half.

Mosley began the run with a layup off an assist from Okenwa, and Okenwa capped it with a pair of free throws with 1:11 to play.