An early free throw would give Cal Poly a 1-0 lead, but it would be the only lead the Mustangs would hold in the contest, falling to University of Arkansas, Little Rock, 71 -62 Saturday.
With the loss, Cal Poly finishes its season-opening five-game road trip 0-5 and will head home to play in front of Mustang fans for the first time this season in their upcoming game against Seattle.
“It was a great learning experience (playing on the road), but it is something we have to work at,” Cal Poly head coach Joe Callero said in a release. “We have to give UALR credit. They are a well-coached team, but this is what we need to get better heading into conference play.”
In the first half, UALR (2-4) raced out to an 11-point lead on a three-pointer by junior Matt Mouzy, but the Mustangs made a run to close the game to within six at the half when Lorenzo Keeler hit a layup near the end of the half.
Despite the efforts of a 42 percent shooting average, the teams went to the break with UALR holding a 33-27 advantage. UALR converted six of 13 three-pointers in the first half, while Cal Poly was four of 11.
Near the start of the second half, the Mustangs cut the lead to within two when Keller connected on a three with 20 minutes left in the game. Cal Poly then whittled away after UALR extended the lead to five when Kyle Oldister connected on a deep three-point shot.
UALR fired back with a 12-9 run capped at the 8:35 mark when Mike Smith went in for a layup.
The Mustangs would close the lead to three (60-57) on a pair of free throws by Keeler, but would get no closer down the stretch.
The Mustangs were led by Keeler’s 20 points, hitting six of 14 shots. Odister added 13 points in his second start, when he hit five of nine from the floor and connected on three of four from long range. Donahue recorded his second double double as a Mustang when he grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the team and scored 13 points.
Sophomore Jordan Lewis added six rebounds and two blocks for the Mustangs.
Cal Poly was outrebounded 34-27 but committed only 11 turnovers compared to UALR’s 13.
Solomon Bozeman scored a game-high 22 points, and Matt Mouzy came off the bench to add 18 for the Trojans.
Alex Garcia-Mendoza was the third Trojan to score in double figures with 10 while Smith added a team-high 11 rebounds.
The Mustangs shot 43 percent from the floor and made 38 percent from beyond the arch, while the Trojans shot 45 percent from the floor and made 53 percent from long range.
The Mustangs return to the hardwood December 3, against Callero’s former team, Seattle University.