RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Steven Jones scored 16 points and led five other Highlanders in double figures as UC Riverside beat Abilene Christian 76-56 on Saturday.
Taylor Johns finished with 13 points, Alex Larsson and Jaylen Bland each had 12, and Steven Thornton and Charles Standifer scored 10 apiece for the Highlanders (3-3). Johns grabbed 14 boards and Larsson added 11 as UC Riverside out-rebounded the Wildcats 47-21.
Michael Grant scored Abilene Christian's first points — a pair of free throws and a field goal — five minutes in after UC Riverside had taken off on a 9-0 run. The Highlanders led 23-7 after back-to-back 3's by Thornton and Standifer with 11:20 to go before the break.
The second half saw as much as a 25-point lead and Abilene Christian never got any closer than 17 points.
Parker Wentz scored 15 points to lead the Wildcats (2-3) and LaDarrien Williams added 13.
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