Mustangs beat Park Gilbert for bounce-back win

The Masters University men's basketball team wasted no time returning to its winning ways on Monday. 
 
After losing for the first time this season in the final game before Christmas break, the No. 2 Mustangs buried 15 three-pointers on the way to an 85-59 win over Park University Gilbert (AZ) at the Tom Byron Classic hosted by Westmont College.

With the win, the Mustangs avoided losing back-to-back games for what would have been just the third time in four seasons and improved to 12-1.
 
"I was very happy with our offensive execution in our first game out after the Christmas break," said TMU head coach Kelvin Starr. "Guys really played selfless tonight."
  
Master's pulled away early against the Buccaneers, ripping off the game's first 14 points with senior Tim Soares scoring the last seven on a jumper, a dunk, and a three-pointer.
 
Soares, who put in 18 of his team-high 19 points in 15 first-half minutes, scored twelve of those points on 4-for-4 shooting from behind the arc.
 
The Mustangs, who shot just under 53% from the field, including 7-of-12 from three-point range, over the opening 20 minutes, led 47-23 at halftime.
 
That long-distance accuracy carried over into the second half where the Mustangs went 8-of-16.
 
Senior Darryl McDowell-White had three of those treys and finished with 13 points.
 
The club's 15 threes and 53.6% mark from behind the arc were season-highs.  Overall, the Mustangs shot 50% from the field while limiting the Buccaneers to 31.9% accuracy.
 
"We continued to do a great job on the defensive end," Starr said. 
 
The Mustangs forged a game-high 31-point lead with 16:31 left in the game.
 
Redshirt junior Michael Taylor was the third Mustang in double figures with 10 points.
 
Sophomore guard Jordan Starr dished off a season-high 10 assists.
 
The Mustangs conclude play at the Tom Byron Classic on Tuesday against the University of Calgary at 10:30 a.m.