Westmont scored 53 points in the first half against OUAZ on its way to a 96-74 victory in a Golden State Athletic Conference men’s basketball game on Saturday at Murchison Gym.
Jared Brown drained a 3-pointer just seven seconds into the game to spark the Warriors, one of three triples he hit in the first four and a half minutes.
“When Jared Brown hit that three to start the game, I knew it was going to be a good day,” Westmont head coach John Moore said.
Brown’s third triple helped No. 4-ranked Westmont (21-2 overall, 10-1 GSAC) take an early 21-7 lead. That advantage was extended to 18 when Abram Carrasco hit a 3-pointer of his own, one of six triples the Warriors made in the first 8:13.
The Spirit brought Westmont’s lead down to 14, but Tyler Austin scored four points in a 9-0 Warrior run that gave Westmont its largest lead of the first half, 25 points, with 4:41 to go until halftime.
The Warriors took a 53-32 lead into the locker room. Those 53 points, with the help of eight made triples on 50% shooting from behind the arc in the opening period, are the second most points Westmont has scored in a first half this season, only trailing the 60 it recorded against Maine Fort Kent on Nov. 22.
Justin Bessard was the biggest reason behind Westmont’s domination on the boards in the first half, pulling down nine rebounds before the break. Bessard was one of three Warriors to reach double figures in the first half with his 13 points, along with Bram Carrasco (12) and Brown (11). He swiftly corralled four rebounds in the second half to tally his second consecutive double-double.
“I thought Justin had his best two back-to-back games of the season,” Moore said of Bessard, who finished with 17 points.
Gyse Hulsebosch led the offense in the second half, scoring 14 of his 18 points on the day.
Carrasco was not to be overshadowed though, as he tallied 11 of his game-high 23 points in the second half.
With the win, Westmont maintains its two-game lead atop the GSAC. Menlo and William Jessup are tied for second place, two games behind the Warriors. Westmont hosts both teams this week, playing against William Jessup on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. before taking on Menlo at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.