FULLERTON, Calif. – Vanguard built a 17-point cushion at halftime and coasted to a 93-78 men's basketball victory over Viterbo on day two of the HIU Holiday Tournament at Darling Pavilion on Wednesday.
Five Lions reached double figures in scoring, as Cam'Ron Wilson led the way with 18 points while making a career-high four three-pointers and grabbing a team-high six rebounds. Nico Dasca chipped in a season-high 17 points and Phillip Willis added 14.
Micah Swartz shot 4 of 5 from the field for 13 points and Preston Sims also hit double-digits with 10 points.
Both teams shot an identical 50.8 percent from the field, making 30 of their 59 field goal attempts. The Lions won the game from beyond the three-point line and at the charity stripe, outperforming the Hawks with an edge in triples (11-7) and free throw makes (22-11).
VU also harassed the Hawks into 22 turnovers, which the Blue and Gold converted into a 32-11 advantage in points off turnovers.
VU's depth was on display as the Lions held a 40-7 advantage in bench points.
The Lions led by as many 22 points and the only time they trailed was when Viterbo notched the first basket of the game.
Jack Monis led Viterbo (5-9) with 23 points and six rebounds, while Cole Crubel contributed 19 points, hitting five of his team's seven three-pointers.
The Lions (8-3) have now eclipsed the 90-point mark in six of their 11 contests.
What Happened?: The Lions took command with a 10-0 run over a two and a half minute stretch during the first half. Swartz started the rally with a triple and forced a steal on the ensuing Viterbo possession. The guard drew a foul and two free throws, converting both to turn a 13-13 tie into an 18-13 lead.
Wilson was the beneficiary of a layup following an Anthony Tello steal, and another pilfer from Jadyn Johnson led to a Wilson trey, as suddenly the Lions opened up a 23-13 advantage.
Wilson completed his own personal 8-0 run with yet another triple at the 10:51 mark as VU led 26-15.
The Hawks moved within single digits for the last time on a Keegan Severn jumper, but the Lions locked down the double-digit lead as Willis got inside for a layup. Dasca scored seven of his nine first half points during a three-minute stretch as the Lions widened the gap to 43-26 at the 6:42 mark.
Willis followed with a three-pointer to give VU its largest lead at 20 points. Johnson's layup with time winding down gave the Blue and Gold a 54-37 lead at halftime.
The Lions maintained a 17-point advantage at 75-58 after Stefan Popovic hit a jumper for Viterbo. VU went scoreless for nearly three minutes but Wilson's triple pushed the lead back to 20, 78-58, with 10:11 to go in the game. Two free throws from Bryson Metz created VU's biggest lead of the game at 80-58.
Offense stalled for both teams over a period of several minutes. The Hawks chipped away and used a 14-4 run to pull within 84-72 on a Monis jumper with 3:25 remaining, but Johnson pulled down two key defensive rebounds and hit a pair of free throws to prevent the Hawks from getting any closer.
Johnson's 11-minute stint off the bench was productive as he finished with four points, three rebounds, an assist and two steals.
Why Is It Important?: The Lions are 5-1 when they shoot 50 percent or better and score more than 90 points. Six of VU's eight wins have come by double digits.
What's Next?: VU completes the HIU Holiday Tournament with a 5:00 p.m. game against SAGU American Indian on Thursday. The two teams played in Phoenix on December 9 with the Lions earning the 68-60 win.
