The Cal Poly men’s basketball team defeated San Francisco 61-40 in a non-conference game Wednesday night at Mott Gym.
Cal Poly senior guard Trae Clark scored 14 points, a season high, while junior guard Lorenzo Keeler added 13 and sophomore guard Shawn Lewis contributed 10.
“I feel like our team gelled really well tonight,” Clark said. “We were all on the same page.”
Cal Poly (2-4), which led from start to finish, held the Dons (5-3) to just 24.6-percent shooting from the floor.
“All week long, we were trying to come up with a defensive scheme to try and get them stopped and slowed down a little bit,” Mustangs head coach Kevin Bromley said. “I’m very proud how they bounced back (from a 97-57 loss at Utah State).”
USF was just 1-of-20 from 3-point range.
“We stayed with the scheme, and obviously, it really bothered them,” Bromley said. “We were efficient enough offensively to keep them on edge a little bit and keep them on their heels.”
Cal Poly was 20-of-61 overall and 8-of-23 from beyond the arc (where Clark was 4-of-5).
“That was probably the biggest difference in the game,” Bromley added.
Cal Poly sophomore forward Wes Dipprey had a season-high 10 rebounds and freshman forward David Hanson grabbed nine, a season high of his own.
USF (5-3), which was led by junior forward Dior Lowhorn’s 21 points and nine rebounds, only got within five during the second half.
The Mustangs also won the turnover battle, committing just nine to 17 for USF.
Mustangs senior forward Titus Shelton suffered an ankle injury at Utah State last week but played against the Dons.
“I was determined to play,” said Shelton, who chipped in three points and six rebounds in 30 minutes. “Luckily, my trainers have been really good working with me.”
Two other Mustangs – freshman guard Justin Brown and junior forward Charles Anderson – are expected to return from injuries when the Mustangs host Seattle at 7 p.m. Dec. 14 in Mott Gym.