Cal Poly pulls away in second half to beat Idaho

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Senior forward Alimamy Koroma led four Mustangs in double-digit scoring figures Wednesday evening with 23 points and junior guard Camren Pierce added 15 as the Cal Poly men’s basketball program closed a two-game home stand and the inaugural California Thanksgiving Jam with an 82-71 victory against Idaho inside Mott Athletics Center.

Senior guard Trevon Taylor added 11 points and junior forward Brantly Stevenson finished with 10 for Cal Poly (2-3), which shot 58.8 (30-for-51) percent from the floor – the highest single game total in 86 matchups under fourth-year head coach John Smith.

The Mustangs committed just seven turnovers against Idaho (1-5), the fewest amount since finishing with seven against UC Riverside on Jan. 16, 2021 (Cal Poly twice committed just six turnovers during Smith’s initial 2019-20 season).

Cal Poly, which also shot 85.0 (17-for-20) percent from the free throw line, resumes action on Monday, Nov. 28, opening a two-game road trip at Pacific. Tip time from the Spanos Center is 7 p.m.

Wednesday’s first half featured six lead changes and seven tied scorelines with neither side leading by more than four points until two Taylor free throws 32 seconds before the break handed Cal Poly a 39-34 advantage.

Idaho, which scored the final bucket of the first half and the first two of the second, held its last lead at 40-39 with 18 minutes to play.

Cal Poly, however, responded with a 13-0 run, utilizing baskets from Pierce on three successive possessions to go up, 52-40, with 14 minutes remaining.

Idaho cut Cal Poly’s lead to single digits just twice the remainder of the game, with the Mustangs leading by as much as 19 down the stretch.

(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics)