3-9
Siena
5-8
Four in Double Figures, but Cal Poly Closes 2018 with Loss at Siena
12/29/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ALBANY, N.Y. – Sophomore wing Mark Crowe (above) led four Mustangs in double-digit scoring figures with 13 points, but the Cal Poly men's basketball program closed the 2018 calendar year on Saturday afternoon with a 75-54 loss at first-time opponent Siena inside the Times Union Center.
Junior forward Hank Hollingsworth added 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting for Cal Poly (3-9), which trailed Siena (5-8) by 11 points at halftime before tying Saturday's matchup at 36-36 with 15 minutes to play. Siena, however, outscored Cal Poly during the ensuing three minutes, 13-3, en route to victory.
Seniors guards Donovan Fields and Marcellus Garrick each added 11 points for Cal Poly, which shot 50.0 (7-for-14) percent from three-point range. Siena, however, knocked down 14 three-pointers itself and finished with a 51.0 (26-for-51) percent mark from the floor.
Playing the program's first game in New York state in 59 seasons and facing a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent for the first time since visiting Saint Peter's on Dec. 14, 1973, Cal Poly received a team high six rebounds from freshman forward Daxton Carr. Fields also matched a season high with a game best seven assists.
Cal Poly completes Big West Conference preparations when hosting Division II Holy Names inside Mott Athletics Center on Friday, Jan. 4. Tip time is 7 p.m.
Keyed by two early Fields jumpers, Cal Poly grabbed a 7-5 lead after just four minutes on Saturday. The Mustangs still led 13-11 with 12-and-a-half minutes remaining in the first half after senior forward Kuba Niziol sank a layup.
Twenty seconds later, however, Saints forward Devin Degnan wrested the lead for Siena for the remainder of afternoon with the first of his two three-pointers.
Siena led by as much as 16 during the first half before taking a 36-25 advantage into the break.
The Mustangs received successive Hollingsworth layups to begin the second half before a Fields three-pointer cut Cal Poly's deficit to 36-32. Hollingsworth then added a dunk and Fields a jumper as the Mustangs tied the matchup at 36-36.
Siena, however, limited Cal Poly to just two field goals during the next nine minutes in pulling away.
