The Master’s University men’s basketball team traveled to Merced on Thursday, Dec. 5, but came away with a loss to the UC Merced Bobcats 76-60.

The Mustangs (9-2), ranked No. 7 in the most recent NAIA Men’s Basketball Top 25 poll, shot just 31 percent from the field and were out-rebounded 40-31 by UCM.

In contrast, TMU was able to beat the Bobcats on Nov. 9 80-68 in The MacArthur Center.

Thursday’s game was controlled by UC Merced, which will be moving to NCAA Division II next season, from the opening tip. The Bobcats raced out to a 10-0 start before Kaleb Lowery hit a three-pointer 4:12 into the game.

TMU was able to cut the lead to two a couple of times in the first half, but UCM never let the Mustangs tie or take the lead, going into the locker room at the half with a 38-25 advantage.

After The Master’s scored the first five points of the second half to take their only lead of the game at 40-38, UC Merced went on an 8-0 run to re-establish control of the game and never looked back. The Bobcats outscored the Mustangs 38-25 in the second half to hand The Master’s only their second loss of the season.

“Give Merced credit, they played well tonight,” Head Coach Kelvin Starr said. “We did not. We started way too slow but fought back at the half until we allowed that run midway through the second half and could not fight back.”

Quincy Phillips led TMU with 22 points, while Lowery added 11. Tiago Soares, Eli Terpsma and Lowery each had six rebounds in the game, with Phillips also dishing three assists.

The Master’s will travel to Chandler, Ariz. to play three schools from Montana in the Cactus Classic. The Mustangs open on Saturday, Dec. 14 against Montana Western.

“We have a lot of work to do before the Cactus Classic,” Starr said.

For more information visit GoMustangs.com.