Mustangs Visit Cal State Northridge and Northern Colorado for BracketBuster
2/14/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
COMPLETE PREVIEW AND PLAYER BIOS (pdf)
GAME PREVIEWS: JOE CALLERO | DAVID HANSON
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The Cal Poly men's basketball program looks to lengthen a two-game winning streak when visiting Cal State Northridge on Wednesday, Feb. 15 (7 p.m.). The Mustangs (15-11, 6-6) then enjoy a brief respite from Big West Conference action when squaring off at Northern Colorado on Saturday, Feb. 18 (6:05 p.m. PT) as part of the 2012 ESPN Sears BracketBuster series. The Mustangs, who vaulted from seventh place to fourth in the Big West standings after distributing home defeats to UC Riverside (54-52) and UC Irvine (77-74) last week, previously defeated Cal State Northridge (6-17, 2-10) in a record-smashing, 100-54 decimation on Jan. 19. The Mustangs, 3-2 all-time in BracketBuster play, will face Northern Colorado (8-16, 5-8) for the first time in 21 seasons. Cal Poly enters play this week ranked second among Big West programs in opponent three-point percentage (33.5). Northern Colorado, however, leads the nation with a 44.5 percent mark from beyond the arc.
HOW TO ENJOY MUSTANG BASKETBALL THIS WEEK: Tom Barket returns to the headset to provide play-by-play detail of both of Cal Poly's upcoming matchups for GoPoly.com and in San Luis Obispo County on ESPN 1280. Live stats and streaming video for both games will be available via GoPoly.com.
BIG WEST, BIG TIME: Highlighted by Long Beach State's nationally-televised Saturday visit to Creighton, all nine Big West programs will be in BracketBuster action on Feb. 18. Below are the conference's 2012 matchups (all times Pacific).
Long Beach State at Creighton, 5 p.m. (ESPN2)
Idaho State at Pacific, 5 p.m.
UC Davis at Northern Arizona, 5:30 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara at Utah State, 6 p.m. (PT)
Montana State at Cal State Fullerton, 6 p.m.
Cal Poly at Northern Colorado, 6:05 p.m. (PT)
Fresno State at Cal State Northridge, 7 p.m.
Eastern Washington at UC Irvine, 7 p.m.
Southern Utah at UC Riverside, 7 p.m.
MUSTANGS SET TO MAKE HISTORY: Having already matched last season's overall victory total, Cal Poly requires just one additional triumph to post the program's highest win total since finishing 19-11 during the 2006-07 campaign. Cal Poly has never posted a 20-win season through 18 Division I campaigns.
CAL POLY VERSUS CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE: Cal Poly enters Wednesday's matchup seeking its first victory at Cal State Northridge's Matadome since prevailing on Jan. 27, 2007, 79-68 (the five-year slide is currently Cal Poly's longest at any conference venue). The Mustangs are also looking for their first series sweep of the Matadors since that 2006-07 campaign. Overall, Cal Poly enjoys a 46-41 series advantage against the Matadors since the first matchup between the two programs on Feb. 5, 1960.
CAL POLY VERSUS NORTHERN COLORADO: Cal Poly's first and only matchup against Northern Colorado resulted in a 76-62 victory on Dec. 17, 1990. The Mustangs, making just the program's fourth all-time trip to Colorado (at Colorado twice, at Colorado State once) are 1-0 against Big Sky Conference programs this season following a Nov. 30 triumph versus Sacramento State.
MUSTANGS OWN WINNING EDGE IN BRACKETBUSTER SERIES: Saturday's ESPN BracketBuster contest at Northern Colorado marks Cal Poly's second straight series matchup against a Big Sky opponent. The Mustangs fell to 3-2 all-time in the BracketBuster series with a last-second, 59-56 home loss against Northern Arizona last season.
MUSTANGS REWRITE RECORD BOOK: Cal Poly broke a 23-year-old program record for single-game free throw shooting by sinking 16 of 17 (94.1) attempts during a 77-74 victory against UC Irvine (Feb. 11). The previous record of 93.8 percent was set during a 67-56 home victory against Chapman on Feb. 3, 1989.
DEFENSE REMAINS AT THE FOREFRONT: Cal Poly enters Wednesday's matchup at Cal State Northridge ranked 19th among NCAA programs in opponent points per game (59.3) as well as leading the Big West in opponent rebounds per game (29.2) and ranking second in opponent three-point percentage (33.5). Highlighted by limiting USC to 36 points on Nov. 19 – the fewest points scored by a Cal Poly opponent in 18 years at the Division I level – the Mustangs have held foes under 60 points during 13 of 26 games this year. The Mustangs have also held opponents under 30 percent from three-point range a further 11 times during the 2011-12 season.
CAL POLY TOUGH ON THE BOARDS: Cal Poly has grabbed the same amount of boards or outrebounded its opponent during 23 of 26 games this year, mass production that has the Mustangs ranked 23rd nationally and second among Big West squads in rebounding margin (plus-6.1) entering Wednesday's matchup at Cal State Northridge. Not surprisingly, Cal Poly is 13-6 this season when outrebounding the opposition with the only defeats coming at DePaul (Dec. 21), versus UC Santa Barbara (Jan. 2) and Long Beach State (Jan. 5, Jan. 19) and at UC Riverside (Jan. 14) and CSU Bakersfield (Feb. 4).
POSSESSION IS NINE-TENTHS OF THE WIN: Cal Poly enters Wednesday's matchup at Cal State Northridge ranked 17th among NCAA programs and first among Big West squads with just 11.0 turnovers committed per game. Also 51st nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.14-to-1), the Mustangs have finished with a single-digit turnover total nine times this season.
20-20 VISION: Through 26 contests this season, no Cal Poly player has scored 20 points during a game. Through the course of the season, three different Mustangs have registered 19 points during a game: Will Taylor (vs. Menlo College, Dec. 14), Chris Eversley (vs. Cal State Northridge, Jan. 21) and David Hanson (at Pacific, Jan. 26). Additionally, Cal Poly players have posted an 18-point game six separate times.
EVERSLEY'S EVOLUTION: Sophomore forward Chris Eversley had recorded just 52 points during his initial 15 contests as a Mustang, but the Chicago native and 2010 transfer from Rice has registered double-digit scoring figures during eight of Cal Poly's previous 11 outings and, since Jan. 7, ranks second among Mustangs with 12.1 points per game. During a string of notable nights, Eversley's latest highlight effort came against UC Riverside (Feb. 9) as he posted his first career double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds) and kicked down a college-best four assists. The 14 rebounds were also the highest single-game total by a Mustang this season. Eversley, who has worked his way into the Mustang starting lineup during the last five games after scoring a career-high 19 points against Cal State Northridge (Jan. 21), owns five games of nine-plus boards.
TAYLOR CONTINUES TO RISE TO THE OCCASION: With a team-leading five double-doubles this season – including an 18-point, 10-rebound effort against Cal State Northridge (Jan. 21) – senior forward Will Taylor enters Wednesday matchup against the Matadors ranked third among Big West players with both a 53.2 (107-for-201) percent field goal mark and 7.2 rebounds per game and ninth with a 77.1 (54-for-70) percent figure from the free throw line. A starter during all 26 of Cal Poly's contests after redshirting last season, Taylor has grabbed seven-plus rebounds in a game 14 times this year, recorded double-digit scoring figures 13 times and shot higher than 60 percent from the floor on 10 occasions.
FERMIN FORGES THE BULLETS FOR CAL POLY TO FIRE: Arguably the Big West's most efficient point guard, senior Amaurys Fermin enters Wednesday's matchup at Cal State Northridge ranked second among conference players in assists (91) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.63-to-1) and third in assists per game (3.50) Fermin, who matched a career high with eight assists at DePaul (Dec. 21), also ranks second among Mustangs with 15 double-digit scoring games and third with 9.7 points per contest. After redshirting the 2009-10 (transfer) and 2010-11 (injury) seasons, Fermin has started all 26 games for Cal Poly this year.
HANSON'S HIGHLIGHT EFFORTS: Cal Poly's leader with 19 double-digit scoring games after notching just four total points during the program's opening two contests, senior forward David Hanson enters Wednesday's matchup at Cal State Northridge also leading the Mustangs with 11.5 points per contest and ranked second with four double-doubles. Hanson, 15th among Big West players with 5.3 rebounds per game, has recorded double-digit scoring figures during 10 of Cal Poly's previous 12 games.
MUSTANG BOUNCEBACKABILITY: Cal Poly has compiled an 8-3 record this year following a loss and failed to drop more than two successive games during any stretch. Since the start of the 2010-11 season, Cal Poly has posted a 15-10 mark following a defeat.
MUSTANGS FACE NATION'S FINEST IN 2011-12: In what has become a hallmark of head coach Joe Callero's three-season tenure, Cal Poly is again facing another testing schedule during the 2011-12 campaign. Continuing with Saturday's ESPN BracketBuster road clash at Northern Colorado, Cal Poly will play eight regular season games this year against programs that qualified for either the 2011 NCAA Tournament or NIT.
WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE: Cal Poly's 14 home games this season are the most contests inside Mott Gym since the program hosted 16 opponents during the 1999-00 campaign. Under Joe Callero, Cal Poly has posted a 21-14 overall mark in Mott Gym, a 13-9 record against Big West opposition and, this season alone, allowed just 60.3 points per game.
DEAR DIARY: In what ranked as one of the finest offensive displays in Cal Poly program history, the Mustangs registered numerous historic achievements during their 100-54, regionally-televised decimation of Cal State Northridge on Jan. 21:
– Consecutive Three-Pointers: The Mustangs matched a 25-year-old NCAA record by knocking down their first 11 three-point attempts. The Mustangs, 11-for-11 during the first half before finally missing to open the second, equaled sharp-shooting marks established by Niagara (Jan. 7, 1987) and Eastern Kentucky (Jan. 14, 1987).
–Three-Point Percentage, Single Game: Cal Poly's 71.4 (15-for-21) mark from beyond the arc established a new program single-game record.
– Margin of Victory: Cal Poly's highest since dismantling Cal State Monterey Bay, 104-50 (Nov. 30, 2000) – a span of 334 games.
– Point Total: The program's loftiest amount since toppling Hawai'i, 102-89 (Feb. 21, 2010) in an ESPN BracketBuster matchup.
– Home Point Total: Cal Poly's highest total since dismantling Portland State, 100-79 (Nov. 27, 2001) – a span of 306 total games.
– Players in Double-Digit Scoring Figures (Five): Aside from a 91-58 (Dec. 14) victory versus NAIA Menlo, the second time this season Cal Poly reached the total. It also marked the third time under third-year head coach Joe Callero that the Mustangs had managed five double-digit scorers.
HAWAI'I AND SAN DIEGO STATE SET TO JOIN BIG WEST CONFERENCE: Cal Poly's number of conference games will swell to 18 next season and 20 for the 2013-14 campaign with the successive additions of Hawai'i and San Diego State to the Big West. Previously a member of the Big West from 1984-96, Hawai'i will resume official competition during the 2012-13 campaign with San Diego State – an original conference member (1969-78) – set to rejoin the following year. Both schools will compete in every sport in which the Big West sponsors a championship.
MUSTANGS SIGN THREE FOR 2012-13 CAMPAIGN: Joe Callero and the Mustang Athletics Department increased Cal Poly's collective height and strengthened the program's collective depth on Nov. 9 with the joint announcement that 6-7 Zachary Allmon (San Luis Obispo, Calif. / Mission College Prep), 6-9 Brian Bennett (Romeoville, Ill. / Plainfield East HS) and 6-8 Josh Hall (Brush Prarie, Wash. / St. John's Northwestern Military Academy) each signed National Letters of Intent to join the Mustangs for the 2012-13 campaign. As a junior during the 2010-11 campaign, Allmon averaged 12.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game for a Mission Prep side that reached the California Interscholastic Federation Division 5-AA semifinals. An All-San Luis Obispo County first team selection last season, Allmon also served as a captain for the Royals. Bennett helped lead Plainfield East HS to the program's first victory in the Illinois State Tournament during the 2010-11 season. Ranked among the Southwest Prairie Conference's leaders in both field goal and free throw percentage, Bennett has been named to the honor roll during each of his semesters at Plainfield East HS. Hall is attending St. John's Northwestern Military Academy (Delafield, Wisc.) following a standout career at Hockinson HS. Hall earned All-Washington first team praise and was named Most Valuable Player of the Greater St. Helens League as a senior during the 2010-11 campaign after averaging more than 20 points per game and leading the Hawks to a conference championship. A four-year All-Greater St. Helens League first team honoree, Hall owns half of Hockinson's school scoring records, including career points (1,571).
ETC.: Cal Poly improved to 9-9 in season-opening contests at the Division I level with a 79-52 victory against San Jose State (Nov. 12) … Cal Poly's lone victories when trailing at halftime this season came at USC on Nov. 19 (trailed, 20-13) and at UC Davis on Jan. 28 (trailed, 39-25) … Cal Poly's lone defeat when leading at halftime was a 59-54 home defeat against Saint Mary's (the Mustangs led at the break, 26-25) … Cal Poly's Nov. 22 matchup at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center drew 12,061 spectators, the largest attendance figure for the Mustangs since 17,230 fans packed Wisconsin's Kohl Center on Dec. 16, 2009 … Cal Poly's 62-61 victory against Morgan State (Nov. 25) was the program's 200th triumph at the Division I level … a 58-57 Big West Conference-opening loss against UC Santa Barbara (Jan. 2) marked Cal Poly's 500th game at the Division I level … Cal Poly's 65-50 triumph at UC Irvine (Jan. 12) marked the program's 100th Big West victory.
