Cal Poly wins at buzzer against Riverside in women’s basketball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - It was Mott Magic Monday night at Mott Athletics Center as graduate student Oumou Toure hit a buzzer beating layup as time expired to give Cal Poly a 49-47 win over UC Riverside at home.
With the game tied and two seconds remaining on the clock, first year head coach drew up the play as the Mustangs (5-9, 2-4, BW) inbounded the ball in front of their bench. Sophomore Annika Shah caught the inbound pass at the elbow and then passed it in the key to Toure who put it in right before the horn sounded to give the Mustangs their second game winning basket of the season.
Oumou Toure Goes Up For the Game Winning Shot Monday against UC Riverside
"We really thought Annika was going to take the shot, but the fact that Annika gave up a good look for an even better look for Oumou really speaks volumes to how much we've improved in terms of our ability to share the ball with one another," Stires said after the game.
Shah finished the night with 13 points and three assists while Toure added eight points and four rebounds. Cal Poly was led on the night by senior guard Maddie Willett who finished with a season-high 16 points on 6-9 shooting and four rebounds. Junior guard Junie Dickson also made some big shots for the Mustangs, who shot 45 percent for the game, finishing with eight points and five rebounds.
It was a strong defensive effort by the Mustangs, holding the Highlanders (4-13, 2-5 BW) to 35 percent shooting from the field and 18 percent from three. In all five of Cal Poly's wins this season, the Mustangs have held opponents to under 54 points.
"We always talk about that we played 40 minutes harder than our opponents and I think tonight was another night we did that," Stires added. "Defense is really our calling card so that level of energy and effort on that end was huge for us tonight."
After a slow start saw the Mustangs trailing by seven after the first quarter, Cal Poly got it going in the second and finished the half on a 10-3 run to tie it at 22 apiece heading into the break.
Tied 26-26 with five minutes left in the third, a 5-2 Mustang run over two and a half minutes gave Cal Poly a three point lead which they took into the fourth quarter.
The Mustangs went up as much as five with 5:50 left to play before UC Riverside took the lead back after an 8-1 run to go up 45-43. A Toure layup put Cal Poly ahead 47-45 with 1:54 left. Neither team scored again until the Highlanders' Ryanne Walters made a reverse layup with two seconds left to tie it. Toure then won it on Cal Poly's next possession with the buzzer beating layup.
"It was a much needed win, it was an exciting win, it's one that I think is going to memorable for Mustang fans for years to come, but it's a real feather in the cap for this young group and I expect us to continue to build on the momentum from tonight," Stires said.
Cal Poly will look to continue that momentum when going on the road Thursday to face UC San Diego at 7 p.m. in La Jolla before returning to Mott Athletics Center Saturday for a 4 p.m. tilt against UC Davis.
(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics).
