Davian Brown and Caden Starr continued to carry The Master's University men's basketball team offensively on Saturday in an 82-76 win over visiting Southern Oregon University.
In Monday's victory over Bethesda, the young duo led TMU in scoring. Four days later, Brown and Starr each poured in 24 points during a game in which the Mustangs (2-0) never trailed.
The 24 points were a career high for Starr. For Brown, the game represented the first time in his career he's gone for 20-plus in back-to-back games. Brown had 21 points Monday; Starr had 16. Both players competed for TMU last season, but in the aftermath of an unprecedented year, the NAIA didn't dock players eligibility. So, technically, they're both freshmen. Even if on Saturday they didn't look like it.
"We thought they'd be key offensively," said TMU head coach Kelvin Starr. "And it's proven to be true."
Brown made 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and went 9-for-9 at the free throw line. He also had a career-high five steals, which helped the Mustangs overcome their own turnovers. Southern Oregon turned 18 TMU giveaways into 27 points, a big reason TMU led by only six at halftime.
Master's stretched its advantage as far as 11 in the second half, keeping the Red Raiders at arm's length for the rest of the game. Southern Oregon's Josh Meyer hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to set the final score.
Meyer finished with a team-high 23 points for the Red Raiders, who were coming off a 67-66 loss at Westmont on Friday.
TMU was fresh off an 83-76 win over Bethesda. The Mustangs have now won their first two games in each of the past three seasons. This one said a lot about TMU's depth. Eleven Mustangs saw the floor, nine playing at least 13 minutes. "That's going to pay dividends down the road," Kelvin Starr said.Â
Gavin DeJong chipped in 13 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks for TMU. Jordan Starr added seven points. The Mustangs will now host Lincoln University on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Lincoln, based in Oakland, California, is coached by NBA legend Gary Payton.
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