Box Score STOCKTON, Calif.— The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team (2-5) fell to the undefeated Abilene Christian Wildcats (6-0) 60-48 Saturday night, in the final game of the Thanksgiving Tiger Tournament. The Highlanders played a tremendous first half, going punch-for-punch with the Wildcats, but ACU found its rhythm in the final 20 minutes to remain unbeaten.

The first period was evenly matched as both teams traded off points and matched wits on the defensive end. The Highlanders and Wildcats each came out playing possession basketball, taking their time up the court and running their sets.

UC Riverside found itself up 14-11 with just under 10 minutes to go, before the Wildcat offense sparked putting together a 9-0 run to take the lead 20-14. A late surge by the Highlanders would get them into the locker room trailing only 24-22. 

UCR played strong defense in the first half forcing mostly misses by ACU, but the Wildcats crashed the offensive glass collecting eight offensive rebounds and turning them into nine second chance points.

The freshmen got going early and kept the team up as Zac Watson, Dragan Elkaz, and Callum McRae combined for 13 of the Highlanders' 22 first half points.

Abilene Christian emerged in the second half shooting an efficient 51% and stretching the lead out to as much as 16, but UC Riverside never quit grabbing a run of its own that started with back-to-back threes from Elkaz and junior Dikymbe Martin. The Highlanders would hold the Wildcats to zero field goals in the final five minutes, but ACU would finish ahead 60-48.

The Highlanders were once again led offensively by Martin who finished with 17 points, four rebounds, and a 6-6 mark at the stripe. McRae hit double digits as well tying his career high with 10 points and six boards and Elkaz added nine points and three rebounds of his own.

The rebound battle was a close contest as the Wildcats just edged out the Highlanders 35-31, but both teams found success on the offensive glass as ACU collected 15 and UCR gathered 11. The team's turnover counts were close as well, but the Wildcats made the most of their opportunities scoring 19 points off Highlander errors.

UC Riverside will now return home where the team is 1-0, to face Cal Baptist in the Crosstown Showdown. Thursday night will mark the first ever Division I meeting between these two teams and the game is set for 7:00 PM at the SRC Arena.