SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. — Earlier this week, Rebekah Throns settled into a room designed for comfort and quiet.
Throns was visiting The Master's University's podcast studio for a taping of "Mustang Sports Feed." She'd been asked to discuss her team's historic start and what would be necessary to win at Westmont College on Saturday night.
"The focus for us Saturday is getting a hand up on the three-point line," she said. "Making sure we have a hand in their face at all times and making them dribble inside."
Upon arrival, Throns and the Mustangs were forced to apply those tactics in a noisy environment, one not designed for visitor success.
Still, the No. 1-ranked Mustangs went into Murchison Gym and made a series of late defensive stops to hold on for a 64-55 win over No. 4 Westmont College.
Master's limited the Warriors to one field goal over the game's final six minutes. With the victory, TMU claimed sole possession of first place in the Golden State Athletic Conference and improved to 19-0 overall.
Stephanie Soares had 25 points and a season-high 24 rebounds for the Mustangs, who are off to the best start in program history.
"Insane," Hannah Ostrom, who added 12 points, said of Soares. "Who else does that?
Ostrom and Sabrina Thompson, both senior guards, made critical baskets down the stretch to help the Mustangs pull ahead in a back-and-forth game with the feel of a heavyweight title fight.
Master's was voted No. 1 in the NAIA Division 1 coaches poll for the first time in program history on Wednesday, and the GSAC schedule immediately put the ranking's merit to the test.
Master's had not won at Westmont since 2014, and the Mustangs had lost to the Warriors in 10 of the teams' last 11 meetings overall.
But this Mustang team has shown an ability to perform in difficult situations. Master's scored only 16 points in the first half last week at then-No. 22 Menlo, but recovered to pull away with a commanding win.
The Mustangs didn't put Saturday's victory away until they held the Warriors (13-3, 6-1) to one basket — of the two-point variety — for the majority of the fourth quarter. Again, TMU's defensive focus was the same.
"We had to get our hands up at all times," said Soares. "Especially on (Lauren Tsuneishi), the shooter, and just let them shoot shorter jump shots."
Thompson and Ostrom spotted the Mustangs a lead to protect.
Ostrom banked in a 3-pointer with 4:45 to play, breaking a 51-all tie. And Thompson hit a pull-up jumper moments later to extend the lead to five.
Thompson also made three free throws in the final 2:11. She finished with seven points.
"They made senior plays," said Waldeck, whose team trailed 13-12 after the first quarter.
The Mustangs didn't immediately turn the tide.
Gabriella Stoll knocked down a straight-on 3-pointer with five seconds remaining in the first half to lift Westmont to a 29-28 lead at the break.
The Mustangs did an adequate job defending the three-point arc over the game's first 20 minutes, but that didn't stop the Warriors, the NAIA's most prolific three-point shooting team entering the night, from remaining on pace to match their season average.
The Warriors averaged an NAIA-best 12.3 threes per game entering the night, and Tsuneishi and Iyree Jarrett each hit a pair in Saturday's first half. Westmont made 6-of-16 tries as a team up to that point and 9-of-31 for the game.
Master's answered by feeding the ball to Soares in the paint, with the 6-foot-6 center drop-stepping and finishing around the rim. Soares made 6-of-8 shots in the first half for 13 points to go with 11 rebounds, already good enough for her 13th double double of the year.
Masters shot 52% for the half, but unlike their hosts Saturday, the Mustangs couldn't find a rhythm from three. They made just one of six tries in the first half. Brooke Bailey connected on a wide-open shot from the corner.
Bailey was one of three Mustangs to finish with five points. Anika Neuman and Madi Hull were the others.
