Cal Poly falls to Big West leader UC San Diego

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Freshman guard Cayden Ward (above) led the Cal Poly men's basketball program with 17 points Thursday evening and senior guard Isaac Jessup added 15, but the Mustangs – despite nine first-half three-pointers against Big West leader UC San Diego – fell to the Tritons, 81-67.

Freshman guard Peter Bandelj finished with 11 points for Cal Poly (10-17, 4-11), which led late during Thursday's opening half before UC San Diego (23-4, 13-2) closed the period with a 10-0 run. The Tritons then scored the first eight points of the second half to pull away from Cal Poly.

Ward also grabbed a career high nine rebounds, missing a first collegiate double-double by just a single board. Bandelj added eight further rebounds for Cal Poly, which limited UC San Diego to a 22.2 (8-for-36) percent three-point mark.

Cal Poly closes a two-game home stand Saturday, Feb. 22 against UC Riverside. Tip time on ESPN+ is 2 p.m.

Held to a 1-for-7 shooting start Thursday, Cal Poly quickly received back-to-back three-pointers from Jessup before graduate guard Jarred Hyder and Ward knocked down from long range to tie the matchup at 15-15 seven minutes into action.

A corresponding 8-0 UC San Diego run was snapped with another Ward three-pointer as Cal Poly's first seven field goals came from beyond the arc. Ward's third of the half handed the Mustangs a 34-32 lead three minutes before the break, but UC San Diego closed the period with its 10-0 run.

UC San Diego then completed the overlapping 18-0 run to further the lead to 50-34 with 16 minutes to play. Cal Poly cut its deficit to 10 points four times, but never closed within single digits down the stretch.

(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics)