By Jacob Norling
December 6, 2025
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) After flights to Hawaii, Oregon, and Alaska to start their season, the Westmont College Men's Basketball team was finally back where they belong: on Kammerer Court inside Murchison Gym. It was in The Murch on Saturday that the Warriors (4-4, 1-1 PacWest) defeated the Menlo Oaks (1-8, 1-2) by a score of 90-71.
 
"I was just so pleased with who we were defensively tonight," said Westmont Head Coach Justin Leslie after his home debut. "Outside of only a few lapses, I thought we did one of our best jobs of the year in the half-court, defensively. We were disruptive, and I was very pleased with how much energy we played with all night long."
 
A tenacious effort from the Warriors saw the club force six turnovers in the first eight minutes of the contest, with Menlo calling timeout down 21-8 just after the 12-minute mark in the first half. At that point, a pair of three-balls from Jarrett Bryant saw the senior reach double-figures not yet 10 minutes into the contest. Bryant, who was four for his first six from the field, had as many shots as the entire Oaks roster during the first eight minutes of play.
 
"We just put them behind the eight-ball right from the get-go," nodded Leslie.
 
By the time of the next media timeout, Westmont was out-rebounding Menlo 13-4, giving the Warriors 23 field goal attempts compared to Menlo's 10 across the game's first 12 minutes. The Warriors took advantage of those shots, with a floater from Davon Smith being the latest in a 30-14 game with 7:52 to play in the first. At the 4:30 mark, Chase Collins landed his second three-pointer in as many possessions, making it a 38-20 lead for a red-hot Westmont club.
 
At halftime, the Warriors were 19 of 37 from the field, while Menlo had made 10 of only 21 field goal attempts. Westmont's rebound advantage (20-10), which included 12 offensive boards, allowed the club to enter intermission with a 47-31 lead.
 
The good vibes kept rolling just ahead of the second half's first media timeout, when Davon Smith flexed his way through contact and kept on flexing after earning both the basket and a whistle. When he converted the second half of his and-one, Westmont led 54-33 with 15:40 remaining. The lead stayed right there headed into another timeout four minutes later, when Caleb Gilbert finished an alley-oop off the glass off of a pass from Bryant in transition (60-41). Three minutes after that, JV Brown landed his second three-ball of the night, giving him an even 10 points, the Warriors an even 20 point advantage (67-47).
 
Aidan Mandel was the next Warrior to enjoy a hot stretch, with four baskets from Mandel highlighting a stretch that saw the Warriors lead by 18 as the game entered its final 3:34 (79-61). A three-pointer from Tyson Monck was Westmont's 35^th make in 70 tries on Saturday night, and it was the final one on a night that saw Westmont win 90-71 in their Murchison Gym debut.
 
Bryant and Brown both led the way with 14 points for the Warriors, while both Smith (13) and Mandel (12) joined them in double-figures. Brown, Smith, and Chase Collins all grabbed a team-high six rebounds, while Brown also led the team with a trio of assists. Every single Warrior that appeared in the contest collected at least three points.
 
"Being a child of the 80's," began Leslie, "I think back to the Lakers-Celtics Finals, and how the conversation was about running a little faster, jumping a little higher, and just having an extra little bounce that only happens at home.
 
"We saw that multiple times tonight, where we just had a little bit extra that helped us power through in a spot, or a little bit better a touch on a shot where you think it's going to roll out, and it just finds a way to fall through. That is the type of thing that only happens at home. It was exciting to get off on the right foot in here."
 
A classic rivalry renewal will await the Warriors next Saturday night in The Murch, when Westmont hosts Biola for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.