LAS VEGAS - UC Riverside put the finishing touches on an impressive week with a 76-65 win over Abilene Christian in Wednesday's Vegas 4 finale at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson.

UCR has now won four straight after starting the year 1-2. The Highlanders knocked off their third opponent in as many days who accumulated 20 wins last season, as this week initially presented itself as arguably one of UCR's toughest tests coming into the season. On Wednesday, UC Riverside officially aced said test with flying colors. 

"This was a very impressive feat for this year's squad to start the season," UCR head coach Mike Magpayo said. "We hope this experience helps us come March. The team showed extreme poise and growth. We have much more growing to do, but I think this is great for the guys to celebrate this."

UCR caught fire for the third straight day in Las Vegas, starting Wednesday's finale 7 of 8 from the floor to jump out to a 14-3 lead at the game's first media timeout. Flynn Cameron contributed six points to a 10-0 Highlander run over 2:52 after Abilene Christian got on the board with a three. ACU climbed back into the contest with a 7-0 run up to the next media stoppage. 

Cameron was 4 of 5 from the perimeter just halfway through the first half with 12 of UCR's 20 points at the 9:44 mark of the first half. Cameron, who squared off against his brother Tobias on the opposite bench, set a new career high with 26 points after registering 14 in the first half. With a 7-for-12 3-point clip, Cameron became the first Highlander since 2018-19 to record seven threes in a game.

Both teams' defense dictated the game's tempo about midway through the first half after Abilene Christian clapped back at UCR's run out of the gate, with neither team making a field goal for a good three minutes while the Highlanders held a slim 20-16 lead. UC Riverside pulled back ahead just outside the final media break of the first half with a 7-0 run to push its lead back up to double digits. The Wildcats pulled themselves back in, but not before Lachlan Olbrich converted the and-one with three seconds left. 

UCR was cold from the field out of halftime, but turned on the jets at the 15:00 mark with a 7-of-9 clip from the field for the next eight minutes. Luke Turner's first make of the day and UCR's only bench points, a three from downtown, helped the Highlanders reclaim a double-digit lead. 

Magpayo's squad went 11 of 16 down the stretch to stave off a fierce ACU comeback attempt. UCR made its home at the free throw line in Wednesday's finale with 21 attempts, going 19 for 21 as Zyon Pullin went 13 of 15 from the stripe as part of his 25 points.

"We will enjoy this Thanksgiving break with our families and get ready for the next slate, but I definitely want the guys to enjoy the feeling of beating three quality mid-major teams, all of whom won 20 games last year and two who were NCAA tournament teams."

UC Riverside returns to true road competition next week with the Crosstown Showdown at California Baptist on Wednesday, November 30 at 7:00 p.m.