Hexom leads Gauchos to 19th straight

The Saddleback men's basketball team won its 19^th straight game on Thursday night with a 71-54 victory over inter-district rival Irvine Valley College in Irvine.  Lyle Hexom scored 24 points off the bench while the defense clamped down on the laser offense.

Hexom has heated up in recent weeks and became a dominant force on Thursday, making 7-of-11 shots from the field and leading the team with seven rebounds and three steals.  He was hot from every spot on the court, also making 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and nailing 8-of-9 free throws.  The sophomore from Nebraska has found his stride after going through a dry spell at mid-season, averaging 15.4 points and 7.6 rebounds-per-game over the past five games. 

Saddleback and Irvine Valley traded small leads over the first 7.5 minutes of the game, with neither squad leading by more than four points.  With the score tied at 14-14, the Gauchos went on a run and scored 11 straight points to take a 25-14 lead with 8:53 remaining in the half.  Saddleback's defense was critical in the run as IVC was 0-for-7 from the field over a 4:43 stretch, turning the ball over on four occasions.    

Saddleback would take a 37-29 lead into the locker rooms behind the leadership of Hexom, who had 16 points and four rebounds at the intermission.  Irvine Valley kept the game within an arm's length by making all 10 shots from the free throw line.

Irvine Valley then made a charge to begin the second half as Saddleback went cold from the floor.  The Gauchos made just 1-of-5 shots to start the half as the Lasers got to within 39-36 with 15:19 remaining in the game.  Devonte Klines finally got Saddleback back on track with a three-pointer to increase the lead to six before Hexom went back to work, scoring five straight points while collecting three rebounds in a 1:10 span to increase the lead to 47-40 with 12:31 remaining.

Zuri Williams would get Irvine Valley back within five at 49-44 with 10:26 left in the game, but that would be the closest the Lasers would get the rest of the way as Saddleback would graduatlly distance themselves.  The defense was again the difference, holding Irvine Valley scoreless for the next 4:50 while the Gauchos were busy getting to the free throw line.  The next nine points scored by the Gauchos were from the charity stripe as the lead ballooned to 60-46 with 3:05 remaining.  Saddleback would finish 13-of-15 from the free throw line in the second half, outrebounding the Lasers 17-11.

Saddleback has now won 19 straight games dating back to late November, the longest winning streak since the program won 21-straight in 2001-02.  The Gauchos will try to make it 20 in a row on Wednesday in arguably the biggest game of the year when they host Fullerton College.   With a one-game lead over the Hornets in Orange Empire Conference play, a win over Fullerton would also clinch a fifth straight OEC title.  Tip time is scheduled for 7:00 PM.