Frank StranzlCal Poly women’s basketball recorded its highest point total in five seasons hitting 54 percent of its floor shots en route to a 99-72 victory over UC Irvine in a Big West Conference women’s basketball game Saturday afternoon at the Bren Events Center.
The Mustangs, who have surpassed the 100-point barrier seven times in the 32-year history of the program, including a school-record 106 against Cal Lutheran in 1989, improved to 8-4 on the season and 3-0 in Big West games. Cal Poly won its third straight for the first time this year.
UC Irvine fell to 2-11 overall and 0-1 in Big West games.
Cal Poly led throughout the game, sprinting to a 26-10 advantage in the first 11 minutes and settling for a 45-34 lead at the break. The Mustangs led by as many as 38 points in the second half.
For the second straight game, Jessica Eggleston established a new career high in scoring for Cal Poly. After a 21-point performance Monday against Cal State Fullerton, the junior forward tallied 25 against UC Irvine, sinking 11 of 14 floor shots. She also led the Mustangs in rebounds with eight as Cal Poly outboarded the Anteaters 47-32.
Junior point guard Sparkle Anderson added 17 points while both Lisa McBride and Megan Harrison scored 11 points. Anthonia Newman recorded nine points and eight rebounds.
UC Irvine was led by Miranda Ishizaki with 16 points, followed by Angie Ned with 15 and Kelly Cochran with 13.
Both teams turned the ball over 23 times, but Cal Poly held the Anteaters to just 42.2 percent shooting from the floor. The Mustangs made 40 of 74 floor shots, including seven of 14 from three-point range.
Cal Poly visits Long Beach State (8-5, 1-0 Big West) on Monday night. The 49ers upset 10-time conference champion UC Santa Barbara 58-52 on Saturday at The Pyramid.
Men’s basketball
UC Irvine 69, Cal Poly 67
Senior guard Aaron Fitzgerald hit a 25-footer with 7.6 seconds to play lifting UC Irvine to a 69-67 victory over Cal Poly in a Big West Conference men’s basketball game Saturday afternoon before 2,048 in Mott Gym.
Freshman guard Trae Clark had given Cal Poly a 67-66 lead with 39 seconds left, hitting a three-pointer from the top of the key. After a timeout, Fitzgerald hit his three-pointer.
Cal Poly inbounded the ball to Clark, who dribbled into the key, but his 12-footer at the buzzer bounced off the rim.
With the win, UC Irvine improved to 5-8 overall and 1-0 in the Big West. Cal Poly, aiming for its first 3-0 start in Big West play since the 1996-97 season, fell to 4-9 overall and 2-1 in the Big West.
UC Irvine produced a quartet of double-digit scorers, led by sophomore center Darren Fells with 14 points. Sophomore forward Patrick Sanders added 13 points, senior guard Shamar Armstrong 12 and junior forward Nic Campbell 10. Fitzgerald and senior guard Ross Schraeder each scored nine points.
Cal Poly was led by junior forward Derek Stockalper’s 19 points. Clark added a career-high 17 points while Chaz Thomas, another freshman guard, scored a career-high 13 points.
UC Irvine hit 54.3 percent of its floor shots, including six of 11 from three-point range. Cal Poly connected on 46.9 percent, including 10 of 21 treys. Cal Poly outrebounded UC Irvine 28-24, led by Stockalper with seven.
Fells grabbed six for the Anteaters. Cal Poly turned the ball over 13 times, two more than UC Irvine.
Cal Poly went on a 14-0 run for a 22-11 advantage with 9:27 left in the first half and settled for a 33-25 lead at the break. The Mustangs still led 53-44 with 9:17 remaining before UC Irvine tied the game at 53-53 on a layup by Sanders with 5:41 to go, capping a 9-0 run.
The game was tied six times in the final six minutes.
Cal Poly hosts Long Beach State on Monday night while UC Irvine visits UC Santa Barbara.