PALM DESERT, Calif. (Interstat) — The Irvine Valley Lasers used a dominant performance at the free-throw line and a game-high 25 points from Matt Mowers to defeat the Desert Roadrunners 78-63 in a California Community College men’s basketball game Tuesday night.

Irvine Valley improved to 5-2 overall with the road victory, while Desert fell to 2-5.

The Lasers built their lead by capitalizing on frequent trips to the foul line, making 29 of 37 free throws. The Roadrunners, by contrast, struggled from the charity stripe, converting only 15 of 25 attempts. The disparity in fouls was significant, with Desert being whistled for 27 infractions to Irvine Valley’s 20.

Mowers was the engine for the Lasers’ offense, scoring his 25 points efficiently in just 27 minutes of action. He was supported by Ahmad Alhammouri, who added 17 points. The Lasers’ control of the boards was another key factor, as they outrebounded the Roadrunners 50-40, led by Yanis Aldeguer’s eight rebounds and Garrett Trayer’s eight rebounds and five assists.

Despite the final margin, the Roadrunners kept the game competitive for long stretches, largely on the back of De’miem King, who led all Desert scorers with 23 points. Jayse Creavalle provided a strong secondary effort with 16 points and five assists.

The game was a tale of offensive efficiency, or lack thereof. Irvine Valley scored 78 points on 78 possessions for an offensive rating of 100.5. Desert was less effective with its opportunities, managing 63 points on 75 possessions for an offensive rating of 84.1.

Both teams struggled from the field, with Irvine Valley shooting 42 percent (23 of 55) and Desert shooting 35 percent (22 of 62). Three-point shooting was not a major factor for either side; the Lasers made 3 of 15 from beyond the arc, while the Roadrunners connected on 4 of 18.

Defensively, Desert forced more turnovers, committing nine while causing 13 from Irvine Valley. The Roadrunners also tallied nine steals compared to five for the Lasers.

The victory extends a positive run for Irvine Valley, which has now won four of its last five games. The Roadrunners, after a win in their previous outing, were unable to build momentum and have lost five of their first seven contests.