Coming off three impressive wins and owning a No. 5 national ranking, one could guess how Master’s men’s basketball felt about Friday’s 87-84 road loss to the University of Antelope Valley.

One need not guess.

“Very disappointing,” Coach Kelvin Starr said. “We faced a lot of adversity on the road, but at the end of the day, we can’t give up 87 points. Just not acceptable.”

It was an 11-0 Antelope Valley run late in the second half that titled what was a 63-63 tie heavily in the home team’s favor.

The Mustangs stormed the gate at the end but, ultimately, found it closed when Miles Nolan-Webb’s free throw made it a two-possession game with eight seconds left.

Darryl McDowell-White scored TMU’s final two points two seconds before the buzzer. He finished with 11 off the bench.

Tim Soares led Master’s with 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. Lawrence Russell chipped in 17 points and six boards, and Hansel Atencia added 14 points.

It was defense, though, that sunk the Mustangs for the first time in a promising campaign.

Master’s held Bethesda University to 60 points in the season opener, then held NCAA Division 2 programs Azusa Pacific and Concordia both in the 70s in two exhibition wins.

Friday, unranked Antelope Valley (2-1) shot 50 percent from the field, building a 42-40 lead at halftime and then using the late run to keep the Mustangs chasing.

Is it safe to say Master’s will be especially focused for Saturday night’s home game against Caltech?

“Yes sir,” Starr said. “Big-time wake-up call.”

Here’s the box score.