By Jacob Norling
January 15, 2026
 
(LA MIRADA, Calif.) Westmont Men's Basketball (7-7, 4-4 PacWest) has swept the season series from the Biola Eagles (6-8, 2-6) after the Warriors defeated their longtime rival 67-55 on Thursday in La Mirada. It was a strong first half for Westmont that laid the foundation for a win that would ultimately snap their three-game skid.
 
In refreshing fashion, it was not the Warriors who suffered a less-than-ideal first half offensively. Instead, that fate would lay with the Eagles, who shot just 22.6% from the field (7-31). The Warriors compiled stop-after-stop through the first 20 minutes, and spun those stops into some significant rhythm on the other end. At the end of half number one Westmont had made 14 of their 27 looks from the field (51.9%), which included an impressive seven of 12 from three-point range (58.3%).
 
Entering the night, the club had made only 29.5% of their shots from beyond the arc. During Thursday's opening period, five different Warriors had made at least one three-ball, with both Jarrett Bryant and Aidan Mandel landing a pair in the first half. Mandel was also a primary source of Biola's struggles offensively, as Mandel had already compiled four blocks, three steals, and three boards after 20 minutes. This effort led to a 37-22 lead heading into the locker room.
 
"The biggest thing I took from the first half," began Westmont head coach Justin Leslie, "was that we had 14 field goals, and 11 of the 14 came off assists. We had 14 points in the paint, to their five. We were shooting 80% on inside-out three's, and we just continued to preach putting pressure on the rim and getting to the paint. Too many good things happen when we do that.
 
"It led to a half where we were set up on both halves of the floor, and who knows what came first, the chicken or the egg. Was it our defense setting up our offense, or our offense setting up our defense? Either way, it was a pretty complete first half on both sides of the basketball."
 
The clubs' shooting percentage would somewhat flip come the second half, with Westmont's luck from three running out (2-11) as Biola sank over 50% of their shots from the field (12-22). Still, the Warriors calmly weathered the storm without letting the Eagles ever get closer than 10 in a half that Westmont led by as many as 17. Another large help was the fact Westmont would force nine more turnovers come the second half, after just four in the first. The 12 points off those nine turnovers seemed to appear at the perfect time throughout the period, tempering the Eagles' wishes of mounting a comeback before those thoughts ever fully came to fruition.
 
"Obviously you want to stretch a lead out, but give Biola credit," said Leslie. "That is a good basketball team on their home floor, and we held them to 55 points on their home floor. That is not easy to do.
 
We missed some shots in the second half that we were making in the first half, but it's unrealistic to think you're going to shoot at that same clip for the entirety of the 40 minutes. Ultimately, we got enough stops to get it done."
 
Individually, Mandel would add another block and two more steals on a night where he finished with 18 points on seven of 10 shooting. Leading Westmont offensively was Bryant, who also enjoyed an efficient night from the field (7-8) that led to a 19-point performance. Trey Thompson had a strong night as well, finishing with 11 points, eight assists, and four rebounds.
 
"Give Aidan his credit, too," noted Leslie. "Five blocks, five steals, and he just really anchored the defense. Aidan was really efficient all the way around, shooting around the perimeter and then around the basket too.
 
Then for Jarret, it kind of came in bunches. I give Jarrett a lot of credit for that second half when they got a little bit tired, and there were just some possessions where they would give us gaps. Jarrett was patient enough to let that develop, so that he could go and get some quality attacks on the basket. Once he did that, it opened up his three-point shot. It was a very mature performance. I thought Trey did a really nice job, too. Trey just kept their guards really uncomfortable all night, and they couldn't really build much rhythm on the offensive side.
 
The Warriors return home on Saturday at 3:00 p.m., when the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds come to Murchison Gym.