EPSTEIN, Utah (Interstat) — The Snow Badgers used a dominant first half to remain undefeated, overwhelming the Central Arizona Vaqueros 96-71 in a men’s junior college basketball game Friday night.

The game was effectively decided by halftime, as the Badgers erupted for 49 points in the opening quarter and added 47 more in the second to build a commanding 96-71 lead. The Vaqueros’ offense, while productive with 34 points in the first and 37 in the second, could not keep pace with Snow’s relentless efficiency.

Snow’s victory was anchored by a commanding performance on the glass. The Badgers outrebounded Central Arizona 52 to 22, including an 18 to 2 advantage on the offensive boards that led to numerous second-chance opportunities. This rebounding disparity was a primary factor in Snow attempting 12 more field goals than the Vaqueros.

Offensively, Snow operated with precision, scoring 96 points on just 83 possessions for an offensive rating of 115.6. They shot 52 percent from the floor, making 39 of 75 attempts. Central Arizona, by contrast, managed an offensive rating of 83.0, scoring 71 points from 86 possessions while shooting 44 percent on 28 of 63 shooting.

Brayden Gant of Central Arizona delivered a standout individual performance in the losing effort, scoring a game-high 29 points in 36 minutes. He also recorded three blocks and three steals. Shawn Spencer and Luke Leatherwood each added 11 points for the Vaqueros.

The Badgers showcased a balanced and deep scoring attack. Aaron Bliss led the way with 14 points and six rebounds, while Keagan Caton filled the stat sheet with 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two blocks. McCaden Adams also scored 11 points, as did Sean Felts, who added five rebounds and three blocks. Kyle Lemke and Max Toombs each contributed 10 points to the Snow effort.

Defensively, the teams were nearly even in steals and turnovers, with Central Arizona recording 11 steals and forcing 17 turnovers, while Snow had 10 steals and forced 16 turnovers. The Badgers held a significant edge in shot-blocking, rejecting nine Vaqueros attempts compared to four blocks from Central Arizona.

The loss drops Central Arizona’s season record to 1-2. The Vaqueros split a two-game series with New Mexico Military Institute earlier in the month, winning 78-66 at home after losing 88-84 on the road.

Snow improves to a perfect 6-0 on the season, having also secured decisive victories over Yavapai, Arizona Western, Eastern Arizona, Casper and Western Nebraska in the opening weeks of the season.

The game’s outcome defied the pre-game projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 100-100 tie. However, the result aligned more closely with the same service’s ELO rating system, which gave Snow a 75 percent probability of winning.

Central Arizona will look to rebound quickly, facing Salt Lake on the road Saturday. Snow also returns to action Saturday, hosting Indian Hills as both teams continue their non-conference schedules.