OXNARD, Calif. (Interstat) — Aiden Pearsall-Morgan scored 24 points and the Cuesta College men’s basketball team secured a rare road victory, defeating Oxnard College 81-72 on Saturday in a non-conference junior college game.

The Cougars, who entered the game with a 2-8 record, outperformed statistical projections and a hostile environment to snap a two-game skid and hand the Condors a loss in their final home game of the calendar year. The win improved Cuesta to 3-8 overall, while Oxnard fell to 5-8.

The most important stretch of the game came late in the second quarter, as Cuesta transformed a narrow contest into a decisive lead. With just over three minutes remaining and Oxnard holding a 67-64 advantage, the Cougars closed the game on a 17-5 run. The surge was fueled by stifling defense and clutch free-throw shooting. Cuesta held Oxnard to just two field goals over the final four minutes while capitalizing at the foul line, where they made 10 free throws in the quarter’s closing moments.

Pearsall-Morgan, Cuesta’s top star, was instrumental in the finishing kick, scoring nine of his points in the final four minutes, including four made free throws in the last 22 seconds to seal the outcome. His performance continued a strong individual stretch, coming off a 20-point effort in a win at El Camino the previous night.

James Nugent posted a double-double for the Cougars with 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Ryan McNamee added 20 points, including three 3-pointers. Ryan Gerhardt dominated the glass with a game-high 16 rebounds for Cuesta.

Oxnard was led by Carter Reid’s 16 points and nine rebounds. Ruben Jimenez contributed 15 points and eight rebounds, and Jose Valdovinos dished out a game-high six assists.

Statistically, Cuesta’s victory was built on efficiency and rebounding dominance. The Cougars posted an offensive rating of 111.2 points per 100 possessions, significantly better than Oxnard’s 97.8. Cuesta also controlled the interior, outrebounding the Condors 46-33, which included a 12-7 advantage on the offensive glass leading to crucial second-chance opportunities.

Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, with Cuesta hitting 5 of 16 and Oxnard making just 7 of 26. The difference came at the free-throw line, where the Cougars attempted 11 more free throws and made nine more, finishing 20 of 27 compared to Oxnard’s 11 of 16.

Cuesta committed 12 turnovers to Oxnard’s eight, but the Cougars’ superior shooting percentage — 46.7% from the field to Oxnard’s 41.5% — and rebounding edge proved decisive.

The teams are scheduled to meet again in Western State Conference play on Jan. 17 in San Luis Obispo.

Cuesta will host Redwoods on Dec. 19 in its next contest. Oxnard travels to face Bakersfield on Dec. 20.