If one play embodied how The Master’s men’s basketball team approached San Diego Christian in the Mustangs’ 98-53 home win Thursday, it came in the first half and it didn’t feel good.

With No. 2 Master’s leading 47-19, Mustang forward Travis Yenor planted both feet just outside the restricted area and surrendered his limbs to whatever came next.

The Hawks’ Hayden Fredrick barreled through him for an offensive foul that sent Yenor sprawling to the floor.

“In spite of the scoreboard, we played like it was a tie game all game,” said TMU Coach Kelvin Starr. “… I felt defensively we were really good all night, challenging shots, rotating, blocking shots. They never got comfortable.”

The Mustangs (24-1 overall, 10-0 in Golden State Athletic Conference) led 30-3 after eight minutes and 54-25 at the half on its way to a program-record 23rd-straight win.

Mustang center Tim Soares led all scorers with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting. He made a career-high four 3-pointers on seven attempts, continuing to extend his range after working tirelessly on his shot over the offseason.

Last year, he never attempted more than one three in a game.

“He’s like a guard in a big man’s body,” said TMU’s Lawrence Russell, who added 10 points. “Coach made a joke about him being a two-guard.”

The Mustangs made 8-of-14 three-point attempts before halftime. They shot 64 percent overall before the break and 58 percent for the game.

Their defense was just as good.

Derek Novsek, the GSAC’s leading scorer at 20.6 points a night before Thursday, led the Hawks with 20 points. But he needed 17 shots.

Mustang Hansel Atencia went 6-of-7 from the floor and finished with 14 points and five assists. Brock Gardner (11 points), Yenor (10) and Russell rounded out the Mustangs in double figures in a game nothing like the first time the teams met down south earlier this season.

That night, the Mustangs led by five at half before creating some separation in what became a 22-point win.

“Last time we played them, we let them get going early,” Russell said. “This time we did a good job of taking away the three-point shot and just not giving them a chance.”

Here’s the box score.

The Mustangs now look to a matchup with Arizona Christian at TMU on Saturday at 4 p.m. It will be senior day for the team’s lone senior, Russell.

ACU played at Westmont on Thursday and lost by one point. That means the Mustangs remain one game ahead of the Warriors for first place in the Golden State Athletic Conference with four games to go.

After Saturday, the final three will be on the road for a Mustang team that hasn’t lost in roughly three months but knows it can’t take its foot off the gas.

“Every little detail matters, like defensively against the Westmonts and Hope Internationals of the world,” Starr said. “We’re all still gunning for a GSAC title. So it isn’t over.”