SEASIDE, CA – Not backing down from No. 18 Central Washington, Menlo Men's Basketball outscored the Wildcats by eight in the second half with all 11 Oaks contributing in some way, but CWU managed to hang on for the 80-68 win in both teams' season debut as part of Cal State Monterey Bay's Otter Classic on Friday.

Oaks Highlights
-Devon Woods paced Menlo with 15 points and seven rebounds
-Nine Oaks scored in the contest and nine also grabbed at least one rebound

Menlo Cuts Margin To Single Digits Multiple Times In Second Half
The teams traded scores from the jump as junior guard Devon Woods provided early offense and junior guard Jalen Keago's transition bucket put Menlo up 6-3. After a three-point play by senior forward Nick High, Central Washington soon used an 11-2 run to create a double-digit advantage that the Wildcats would hold for the remainder of the half. Points came from senior forward JaMaal Unuakhalu, sophomore guard Jonathan Moxie, and Keago down the stretch, but the half ended with CWU in front 45-25.

Two quick layups by High sparked a 6-0 run for the Oaks out of halftime then later another 6-0 burst with three free throws from sophomore guard Kai Brown kept Menlo close to their nationally-ranked opponents. Triples by Moxie and Woods sandwiched a transition layup by freshman forward Luke Wieskamp for an 8-2 surge then it was yet another 8-2 push that started with Unuakhalu's 3-pointer and ended on a basket from Wieskamp that made it just a two-point game at 76-68 with two minutes left. In the end, however, free throws helped the Wildcats escape with the 80-68 victory.

Up Next
Back in Seaside on Saturday, Menlo matches up with Western Oregon at 3 p.m. inside The Kelp Bed.