Benedictine Mesa delivered one of its most complete performances of the season, using a balanced offensive attack and relentless defensive pressure to secure an 81–70 win over The Master's University.
First Half
The Master's came out firing, hitting a trio of early threes to build a 12–2 lead before Benedictine Mesa could settle in. Despite the slow start, the Redhawks answered behind
Khari Dunn,
Isaiah Howard, and
Eric Blackwell, who combined to chip away at the deficit with strong drives and timely finishes at the rim.
Benedictine Mesa's bench brought an immediate spark midway through the half.
Kamron Robinson,
JR Anderson,
Aiden Olmstead, and
Damian Zivak all contributed during a stretch where the Redhawks tightened up defensively and turned rebounds into transition buckets.
A 14–2 BENU run, highlighted by Dunn's energy plays and Howard's finishing inside, swung momentum firmly in the Redhawks' direction. Anderson, Payton, and Blackwell added key baskets late in the half, and Howard buried a three to push the lead even further.
By halftime, the Redhawks had completely flipped the script, closing the half on a 37–18 surge to take a
39–30 advantage into the locker room.
Second Half
Benedictine Mesa opened the second half with aggressive defense, forcing turnovers and limiting The Master's on the perimeter. Dunn, Blackwell, and Howard continued to carry the scoring load, pushing the lead back to double digits despite a brief TMU push.
The Master's attempted to rally behind strong play from Quincy Phillips, Avery Jackson, and Jazen Guillory, but BENU always had an answer. Zivak's free throws, Anderson's timely scoring, and Howard's shot-making kept the Redhawks comfortably in front.
A series of mid-range jumpers and attacking drives from Anderson and Payton helped Benedictine Mesa withstand the late TMU pressure. Dunn's late three and Blackwell's steady free-throw shooting sealed the win.
Down the Stretch
The Master's made one last push in the final minutes, converting a few late layups and drawing fouls, but the Redhawks remained composed. BENU knocked down its free throws, protected the ball, and prevented TMU from getting clean looks from deep.
When the final buzzer sounded, Benedictine Mesa had capped off a strong, balanced performance with an
81–70 victory.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead: The Redhawks are back on the court on Saturday as they head to Prescott to take on Embry-riddle for their last regular season game.
