Cuesta Cagers Split 2018 WSC Opener with Santa Barbara

Cuesta Basketball opened Western State Conference play by hosting the men's and women's teams from Santa Barbara.  Prior to the women's game there was a moment of silence and exchange of gifts between the teams, but after that it was all business as the Cuesta fell to the Vaqueros, 63-52, but the Cuesta men won convincingly in their WSC debut, 80-46. 

The men's team started slowly against the Vaqueros, who entered the game searching for their second win of the 2017-18 campaign.  It was close in the first half, but the Cougars took over after the break and posted a 34-point win, 80-46.  The two teams traded the lead back and forth, until Cuesta settled on the evening's hot-hand Finn Whetstone.  Whetstone finished the first half with 16 points, including six hoops in a row on one run, and netted a game-high 25 points in the game.  Whetstone, who posted a double-double with 11 rebounds, led the Cougars to a four-point lead (31-27) at halftime, but received some help after the intermission.  Fellow Forward Noah Saunders, who made only four points in the first half, piled up 15 more points in the second half and joined Whetstone with a double-double of 19 points and 16 boards.  Shooting Guard Josh Wilson-Murry also joined in the second half onslaught as the Cougars outscored the Vaqueros by 30 points down the stretch.  Wilson-Murry scored all 13 of his points in the second half and also posted game-highs with five assists and three steals.   The Cougars evened their overall record to 11-11 and are 1-0 in WSC play.  The Cougars have not won a WSC title since 2015, but won five of the previous seven before the draught.  

The Cougars host Ventura next Wednesday (1/17).  The women begin the twinbill at 5 PM, while the men play the nightcap at 7 PM.