Mustang News Staff Report
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Despite both teams posting an even 8-8 record on the year, the Cal Poly men’s and women’s basketball teams are off to very different starts in Big West Conference play.
The men’s side had a relatively successful preseason, highlighted by wins over Santa Clara, San Francisco and Delaware, a No. 13 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament. It also featured losses against California and No. 3 Gonzaga, both of which were closer than the final score suggests. The Mustangs escaped the tough preseason schedule with a 7-5 record.
However, Big West play has been entirely different.
After a big overtime win on the road in Hawaii to open the conference schedule, the Mustangs have dropped three-straight. The next matchup was in Mott Athletics Center against rival UC Santa Barbara, and despite holding a three point lead at halftime, the Mustangs lost by five.
The next two games would have an eerily similar ending.
On the road against Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge, the Mustangs would again lose by just a handful of points — two against the 49ers and seven against the Matadors.
All three of these most recent conference losses could have gone either way. In all three contests, Cal Poly had been leading at halftime. They also failed to eclipse the 50-point mark each time out but were able to hold two opponents to 50 points and the other to 55.
The finishing power to close out a team late in the game has simply been lacking. The Mustangs will need someone to step up late put points on the board seal out victories. Junior guard David Nwaba leads the team with 13.3 points per game over the whole year, but in the last three games he hasn’t scored more than his average once.
Junior forward Joel Awich seems to be the answer of late, averaging a team-high 12.7 points in the last three games, including nearly a third of the Mustangs’ points (15) against Cal State Northridge.
The men’s team will look to get back on track Thursday night against Cal State Fullerton, the only winless team left in Big West play. The home game is only the second in Mott for the Mustangs in the last 46 days. Returning home will surely be welcomed.
As for the Cal Poly women’s basketball team, Big West play has gone according to plan. The Mustangs are 3-1 in conference, knocking off Hawaii to start with in a 70-65 victory at home, followed by a demolition UC Santa Barbara on the Gauchos home court.
The third and fourth conference games were against the two toughest teams in conference — Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge.
The 49ers have been on a rampage this season. They are 17-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big West. Their nonconference schedule was no joke, featuring teams like LSU and San Diego State, both of whom the 49ers handled with ease. Their sole loss came in overtime against Southern California, a tough matchup for anyone. Long Beach State also received 10 votes to be in the Top 25 in the nation in the latest AP poll.
The Mustangs hung tough with the 49ers but couldn’t keep pace with their opponents 50 percent shooting night from the field and lost 85-74.
Cal Poly rebounded resiliently, though in its next game against the defending Big West champions, Cal State Northridge. The Matadors returned all five starters this year, but the Mustangs were still able to knock them off, beating them 63-54.
Senior guard Ariana Elegado has been on fire, averaging 15.8 points on the year, leading the team. Her experience and leadership have been pivotal in the success of the young Cal Poly side.
Sophomore forward Hannah Gilbert and senior forward Taryn Garza have dominated the paint, averaging 5.4 and 6.6 rebounds per game, respectively. The combination of strong guard play and strength inside has been a catalyst for the Mustangs’ success.
Cal Poly will now head on the road for the weekend, first against Cal State Fullerton and then to UC Riverside. The Titans are 8-8 overall and 2-1 in conference, similar to the Mustangs’ record, while the Highlanders are 10-8 overall but just 1-3 in the Big West.
Thursday’s game against Cal State Fullerton is set to tip off at 7 p.m.