Senior guard Tyler Dutton scored 18 points and junior forward Bobby Fenske recorded a double-double as Westmont men’s basketball defeated #24 California Baptist by a score of 68-60 on Tuesday night in Riverside. Dutton made seven of 11 attempts from the field including two from beyond the arc. Fenske posted 13 points on five-of-nine shooting and made all three of his attempts from three-point range. Fenske also pulled down 12 rebounds.
The win marks the first time since the 2003-04 season that the Warriors have swept the Lancers.
After the Lancer’s Davey Hopkins (18 points, 3 steals) scored on a layup to start the game, Westmont’s Dan Rasp (9 points, 8 rebounds) responded with a dunk to tie the game at two. Hopkins then made a free throw and Brandon Robinson (9 points) finished a layup to put California Baptist up 5-2.
Tyler Dutton then scored on back-to-back three’s and Andrew Schmalbach hit another as the Warriors put on a 13-1 run to take a 15-6 lead with 13:39 on the first-half clock.
Over the next four minutes, the Lancers outscored the Warriors 14-2 to take a 20-17 lead and extended it to 27-22 on a dunk by Davies. Dutton answered back with a layup before Fenske hit his first three-pointer to tie the game at 27 with 5:19 remaining in first half action.
The score was tied again at 32 when Fenske nailed his second three-pointer with 2:43 remaining. Brewer drew the Lancers to within one with a layup, but Rasp connected on two free throws to give the Warriors a 37-34 advantage at the intermission.
The second half proved to be just as close a as the first with the two teams battling to a 51-all tie with 11:10 left in regulation. The Lancer’s Nick Johnson broke the tie with a free throw and then made a layup to put California Baptist up 54-51.
The next four and one-half minutes belonged to the Warriors who put together an 11-0 run. After a free throw and layup by Matt LeDuc (9 points), Schmalbach connected from downtown. Fenske then did the same and LeDuc followed with another layup. The resulting eight point margin (62-54) proved to be the difference in the game.
Omar Kraymen made a three-pointer to get the Lancer’s within five, but Westmont point guard Chris Jackson (6 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds) hit a fourteen-foot jumper to make the score 64-57 with 3:39 to go in regulation.
Robinson then buried another three for the Lancers, but Jackson struck again, scoring on a layup with 1:27 to give Westmont a 66-60 lead. After being fouled, Jackson completed the scoring by making two free throws with one minute to play.
In other GSAC action, #14 Concordia (19-5, 10-4) survived at The Master’s (14-10, 6-8), winning by a count of 71-66. Biola (18-6, 9-5) blew out #19 Azusa Pacific (16-8, 9-5) on the Cougars’ home floor by a score of 76-54. San Diego Christian (8-15, 1-11) upset visiting Point Loma Nazarene (14-11, 7-8) by a 72-64 margin and Vanguard (6-16, 5-9) handled Hope International (4-17, 1-13), outscoring the Royals 75-70.
After tonight’s games, #8 Fresno Pacific (19-4, 12-1), which was idle, remains in first place with a two and one-half game lead over Concordia. Biola and Azusa Pacific are tied for third, one game behind Concordia. California Baptist claims fifth place, one game ahead of Westmont. The Warriors are alone in sixth place. Point Loma Nazarene is one-half game behind the Warriors in seventh and half a game ahead of The Master’s in eighth place.
The Warriors will take on The Master’s on Saturday night, February 14, in Murchison Gymnasium. Start time is 7:30 p.m.
