Irvine, Calif. – The Mt. San Antonio College Men's Basketball Team took down the Irvine Valley College Lasers 68-56 on Friday, December 13. With this win, the Mounties' record improves to 9-1, while Irvine Valley falls to 8-5.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Mt. SAC got on the board first with a layup from Marvel Chambers followed by a defensive rebound and dunk from Ryan Wheeler to give them an early lead. The Lasers answered with a layup and a free throw from Josiah Reed to get themselves back in the game. Jaidyn Simpson added a basket from beyond the arc and a pair of free throws to help keep the Mounties competitive throughout the first half. However, strong efforts from Reed and Yanis Aldeguer, who combined for 20 points, propelled the Lasers to a 34-29 advantage at halftime.

The Mounties came back ready to play, quickly regaining the lead with consecutive layups by Simpson, Wheeler, and Jon McCullough, bringing the score to 35-34. Although the Lasers briefly answered with a layup from Matt Mowers, Kenneth Brown sank a clutch three-pointer at the 17:36 mark, putting the Mounties ahead for good. Simpson was a standout in the second half, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line and tallying 14 points. Brown came up close behind with three crucial  three-pointers, cementing the Mounties' dominance. With superior shooting, rebounding, and overall play, Mt. SAC controlled the tempo and sealed the victory with a final score of 68-56.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• Jaidyn Simpson (Mt. SAC): Game-high 25 points, 6 rebounds, 10-11 FT
• Marvel Chambers (Mt. SAC): 12 points, 4 steals
• Kenneth Brown (Mt. SAC): 11 points, 12 rebounds, 4-13 3PT
• Ryan Wheeler (Mt. SAC): 6 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks
• Yanis Aldeguer (Irvine Valley): Team-high 13 points, 3 rebounds
• Matt Mowers (Irvine Valley): 12 points, 8 rebounds
• Josiah Reed (Irvine Valley): 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3-3 FT

TEAM STATS:

• Shooting: Mt. SAC – 44.6% (25-56); Irvine Valley – 37.3% (22-59)
• Three-Point Shooting: Mt. SAC – 22.2% (4-18); Irvine Valley – 5.6% (1-18)
• Free Throw Shooting: Mt. SAC – 82.4% (14-17); Irvine Valley – 91.7% (11-12)
• Rebounds: Mt. SAC – 39; Irvine Valley – 32
• Turnovers: Mt. SAC – 15; Irvine Valley – 13

UP NEXT:

The Mounties will host LA Southwest (2-10) on Wednesday, December 18, at 5:00 PM.

STAY CONNECTED:

Follow Mt. SAC Men's Basketball on twitter @MtSAC_MBKB or Instagram /mt.sacbasketball/

Follow Mt. SAC Athletics on twitter @MtSAC_athletics Instagram /mtsac_athletics/ or Facebook @Mountie.Athletics

For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.