Box Score T.J. Lipold only made one basket the entire game - one momentum-turning, story-changing, game-winning basket. As a result, Westmont Men's Basketball posted an 82-80 Golden State Athletic Conference win over Vanguard (13-9, 5-6). As a result, the Warriors improved to 16-4 overall and 8-3 in conference play. As a result, Westmont remains in a tie for first place in the GSAC standings.


"All T.J. makes is clutch baskets," said Westmont head coach John Moore. "He gets another one to put in his storybook of clutch baskets. There are a lot of players who never make a game winner. T.J. has made ten or twelve in his college career." The first half was a face-paced, closely contested, high-scoring affair. Westmont made 72% of their shots from the floor (18 of 25), yet still trailed at the intermission 49-45. Neither team led by more than five points during the first half, nor by more than six at any point in the game. "At halftime we changed the tempo of the game," said Moore. "Vanguard is the second-highest scoring team in the conference and they can put up big numbers. We were able to tone it down in the second half. We gained a six-point lead and that was because we played a tempo game for the first six to eight minutes. "Then they hit threes with some very clutch shots and well-designed plays. Our guys were playing hard defense, but they had three or four three-point shooters and it is hard to cover all of those guys. I thought the tempo piece and the guts piece were the two things I would give to the way we finished the game and the way we played in the second half."


As expected in a game that saw ten ties and eleven lead changes, it came down to the very end. With 2:12 remaining, C.J. Miller (17 points, 3 rebounds) scored on a jumper to make it a 76-all game. In the next minute and six seconds, Vanguard's Billy Thompson (5 points, 2 rebounds) connected on one of two free throws and Christopher Kupets (9 points) scored on a lay-up to give the Lions a 79-76 advantage. With one tick less than a minute showing on the clock, Preston Branson (22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) was fouled and made one of two free throw attempts to make it a 79-77 game. Nine seconds later, Cameron Nettles (21 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists) did the same thing making it a three-point game (80-77). The Warriors brought the ball up the court and Branson scored on a jumper to cut Vanguard's lead to just one (80-79) with 32 seconds to play. After Moore called a timeout to strategies with his team, Kupets tried to inbound the ball from under the Warriors' bucket.


However, Branson snagged the inbound pass, controlled the ball, and attempted a layup. The ball rolled off the rim, but Lipold grabbed the rebound, brought the ball down, and then went back up, putting the ball through the hoop and putting Westmont up 81-80. Now down by one, Vanguard inbounded the ball and then brought the ball up the court. Kupets drove the lane in an effort to score on a layup. The ball rolled off of Kupets' fingertips and through the net, but a whistle sounded and Kupets was called for a charge - a charge taken by Miller. Except for a free throw by Branson, the scoring was done. "As (assistant coach) Jeff Azain told the team, good teams find a way to win games like this," said Moore. "We are a good team. We are a team that expects to win. We are a team that is unified. Unified teams are pulling for whoever is the next man up. Tonight it was T.J. Lipold making the most important basket of the game and C.J. Miller making the most important defensive stop." Moore was also pleased with the play of Nate Gibbs who tallied 11 points and six rebounds."Nate had to step in the starting lineup for Cooper Damron," said Moore. "He got into foul trouble a little bit in the first half, but I thought he played a superb second half."


Westmont entered the game as part of a four-way tie for first place in the GSAC. As a result of their victory, the Warriors are now in a three-way tie for first with #13 The Master's (16-6, 8-3) and #16 Concordia (18-4, 8-3). The Master's posted a 70-62 victory at Fresno Pacific (12-10, 3-8) while Concordia soared past Hope International (9-9, 2-9) by a score of 79-58. Falling out of the first-place tie was #7 Azusa Pacific (18-5, 7-4). The Cougars were upended by Biola (16-7, 6-5), losing by a 51-49 margin. Point Loma Nazarene (14-6, 7-4) moved into a tie with Azusa Pacific for fourth place with a 68-62 victory over San Diego Christian (5-13, 1-10). On Saturday, the Warriors will continue GSAC play by traveling to El Cajon for a date with the Hawks of San Diego Christian. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. [box score]