Cal Poly blows out Fullerton as they near spot in Big West Tournament
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -Graduate guard Owen Koonce led four Mustangs in double-digit scoring figures with a game high 21 points as the Cal Poly men's basketball program – behind 20 three-pointers, a total one shy of the 28-year-old program record – moved within a victory during Saturday's regular season final of qualifying for the Big West Championship with a 100-61 Thursday evening win against Cal State Fullerton.
Graduate Jarred Hyder (16 points) and fellow guard Isaac Jessup (15) each knocked down five three-pointers for Cal Poly (13-18, 7-12), which requires just a victory Saturday, March 8 at 10th-place Long Beach State to secure either the seventh or eighth seed for the March 12-15 Big West Championship at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nev. Tip time from the Walter Pyramid is 4 p.m. on ESPN+.
The Mustangs could have secured a postseason spot had Hawai'i (15-15, 7-12) prevailed at Cal State Bakersfield (8-12, 14-18) earlier Thursday. Cal Poly now enters Saturday's regular season finale tied with Hawai'i for eighth position in the Big West standings with both programs trailing Cal State Bakersfield by just a half-game.
Cal Poly's 20 three-pointers marked a new program record against Division I opposition and the highest total since the Mustangs hit 21 against then-Division III California Baptist on Dec. 3, 1996.
Jessup's 15-point performance leaves him just 11 shy of becoming the third Mustang this season – following Koonce (Dec. 14) and Hyder (Feb. 27) – to reach 1,000 career points.
Freshman guard Peter Bandelj added 10 points for Cal Poly, which enjoyed scoring contributions from 13 of 14 players who appeared in Thursday's matchup. The Mustangs converted 24 Cal State Fullerton turnovers into 36 points.
Trailing just once Thursday, by only two points and for just 28 total seconds, Cal Poly erased an early 10-8 deficit with a 21-0 run to go up 29-10 with 10 minutes remaining in the opening half. Limiting Cal State Fullerton to a 23.5 (4-for-17) percent shooting start while sinking 12 of its opening 22 three-point attempts, Cal Poly led by as much as 25 points before taking a 52-30 lead into halftime.
After Cal Poly established a new season high for first-half points, Cal State Fullerton sank three of its initial four attempts to open the second period and close its gap to 54-36.
The Mustangs, however, countered with a 16-0 run to further their advantage to 70-36 and keep the game out of reach.
(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics)
