(7/11) Oregon State
Cal Poly Closes Road Stretch With 80-43 Loss at No. 7/11 Oregon State
12/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Led by 11 first-half points from junior forward Hannah Gilbert, the Cal Poly women's basketball team trailed No. 7/11 Oregon State just 12-8 after the first quarter Monday in Gill Coliseum, but the defending Pac-12 champions then put their nationally elite defense on display during an 80-43 home win.
The Mustangs, finishing a thee-game road trip, went on a 6-0 run late in the opening period thanks to baskets by Gilbert and senior point guard Lisa Marie Sanchez before a pair of free throws courtesy of senior shooting guard Beth Balbierz.
But the Beavers, who came into the afternoon ranked No. 1 in the country in blocks per game (at 7.7), No. 1 in the nation in defensive rebounding (averaging 34.0) and No. 2 in field-goal percentage defense (30.3 percent), seized control to begin the second.
Oregon State didn't allow a point for the initial four minutes of the quarter on the way to racing out to a 26-8 lead (en route to a 36-17 halftime advantage).
The Beavers didn't let up from there, heading to the fourth up 61-24.
OSU, looking to follow-up on its school-record 27-win campaign a year ago, amassed 11 blocks in front of the crowd of 2,716 while improving to 9-1.
Gilbert was 4-for-6 by the break, and also had five rebounds at intermission.
Balbierz also finished with a team-high 11 points, along with four boards.
Cal Poly, which came into the game as the No. 2 free-throw shooting team in the Big West (at .718), went 15-of-18 from the foul line.
The Mustangs (6-6) will conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule by hosting Sacramento State (2-7) in Mott Athletics Center at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29.
