Preston Branson scored 25 points and Blake Bender added 23 as Westmont recorded its 20th basketball win of the season and the 1,100 win in program history on Saturday night. The Warriors posted a 92-86 Golden State Athletic Conference victory over San Diego Christian in El Cajon.
“It was a good offensive performance,” said Westmont head coach John Moore. “We shot 52 percent from the floor (24 of 46) and 79.2 percent from the free throw line.”
The win improves the Warriors’ season record to 20-7 overall and 12-6 in GSAC play. Since the 1940-41 season, the Warriors have accumulated a record of 1,100-746 (.596).
New single-game records were also established in the contest. The Warriors tied the single-game record of free-throws attempted (53) by the team and set a new record for free throws made (42). The previous record of 41 made free throws was set during the 1964-65 season against California Western.
With the win, and a loss by Point Loma Nazarene to Fresno Pacific, Westmont has clinched at least a tie for fourth place in the GSAC standings and has guaranteed itself a home game in the first round of the upcoming GSAC Tournament. Though the Warriors could end in a tie with Fresno Pacific, Westmont holds the tiebreaker by virtue of its win over Biola last month.
The game on Saturday night remained close throughout the first half with Westmont holding a three-point lead at intermission. The Warriors did not take a double-digit lead until Dan Rasp (17 points) converted two free throw attempts with 2:41 left in the first half. The Hawks would get no closer than six points the rest of the way.
The Warrior’s next game will be Tuesday when they travel to Fresno to take on the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific.
