Westmont College Athletics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
By Ron Smith
October 23, 2026
 
(SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.) Westmont Men's Basketball has just one exhibition game on its schedule in the preseason, but the Warriors made the most of it on Friday. Taking on the Mustangs of NCAA Division I Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the Warriors prevailed by a score of 105-93.
 
"Often times people say that adversity or challenges build character. I tell the guys, I believe it reveals character, more than it builds it," said Westmont's head coach Justin Leslie. "So, playing at Cal Poly is going into a place where we knew that we were going to be tested and we had to be at our best to have success. I also tell them that, 'You're not who you say you are, you are who you put on film.'
 
"We went out there today and controlled the terms of the game, basically from the start. We controlled how the game was going to be played on both sides of the ball. I was really proud of our guys. They made some tough shots, they made runs, and they didn't blink. They didn't get out of character. We played 10 guys and it was consistent execution and focus throughout the lineup. I was really proud of the growth that they showed throughout the course of this offseason."
 
Westmont used a balanced offensive attack with five players scoring in double figures and two more notching nine points each. Senior guard Logan Huston led the Warriors with 18 points. Senior forward Aidan Mandel tallied 16 points while also collecting six rebounds and two blocks.
 
Guards Chase Collins and Braedon Bigott each tallied 15 points and guard Trey Thompson added another 14 along with six rebounds. Two more guards, Davon Smith and JV Brown, contributed nine points each to the Warriors' cause.
 
"We have a lot of weapons," assessed Leslie. "What is going to determine the next step is if they can consistently make the right basketball play. Instinctively, players tend to think their own shot is the right play.
 
"Today, we had guys that were making a lot of sacrificial drives, sacrificial cuts or seals that created an opportunity for someone else. That doesn't show up in a box score. I think the balance (in scoring) was the result of guys understanding how much has to be done that is more of a servant's heart than it is just going out there and getting theirs.
 
"We had guys today that scored in some situations that was just as much due to the work that their teammates did for them as it was the work they did for themselves. The team is starting to value and understand that more and it was reflected in a very efficient and well-rounded performance from the group."
 
The Warriors held a small advantage for most of the first 13 minutes of the game. Then with 6:46 to play before intermission, a layup by the Mustangs' Anthony Moore gave Cal Poly a 35-34 lead. However, the Mustang lead did not last long.
 
A pair of free throws by Smith with 6:14 remaining in the first half restored the lead to the Warriors, who never trailed again. Westmont closed out the half on a 23-10 run to take a 57-46 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
In the second half, the Mustangs came within six when Cayden Ward scored on a layup, making the score 68-62, six minutes into the final frame. However, Westmont scored the next nine points as part of a 22-2 run that put the Warriors on top 84-64 with 11:22 remaining.
 
The Mustangs cut the deficit to nine (96-87) with three minutes left on a layup by Jess Esso Essis. Once again, the Warriors responded with a 9-4 run, thwarting a Cal Poly comeback and making the score 105-91 with just 34 seconds to play.
 
For the game, the Warriors shot 51.5% from the field (34 of 66), including 40% from 3-point range (12 of 30). Westmont held Cal Poly to 45.9% shooting (28 of 61) and 25.7% (9 of 35) from beyond the arc.
 
"They were bigger and longer than we were and were able to make shots over the top of us," acknowledged Leslie, "but we didn't give them shots today. We made them make shots. They only scored 14 points on fast breaks. I think we can go out and be disruptive and guard anybody.
 
"I think this group has a chance to have a special year. I think this is a team that the school and the community can really get behind. They are a fun group to watch."
 
The Warriors will start the season at home in Murchison Gymnasium on Monday, November 9 when they take on Golden Eagles of Cal State Los Angeles. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., following the season opener for Westmont Women's Basketball against Cal State Dominguez Hills at 5:00 p.m.