2-9,0-0Big West
Sacramento State
7-2,0-0Big Sky
Cal Poly Edged at Final Second at Sacramento State, 57-56
12/18/2019 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SACRAMENTO – Freshman guard Kyle Colvin (above) scored a career high 20 points Wednesday evening, but Sacramento State forward Osi Nwachukwu sank two free throws with one second remaining inside The Nest to hand his Hornets a 57-56 victory against the Mustangs.
Sophomore guard Junior Ballard added 18 points for Cal Poly (2-9), which trailed Sacramento State (7-2), 46-34, with 16-and-a-half minutes to play before holding the Hornets to just one field goal the remainder of the game.
After Cal Poly reeled off an 18-5 run to take a 52-51 advantage with four minutes remaining, the two sides traded the lead five more times to close the game. With the Hornets leading 55-54 and eight seconds to go, Sacramento State forward Ethan Esposito missed a jumper in the lane. Mustang freshman guard Colby Rogers grabbed the rebound before passing to Colvin, who was fouled.
Colvin knocked down both ends of the one-and-one free throw situation as Cal Poly regained a 56-55 lead. On Sacramento State's final possession, Hornets guard Brandon Davis missed a layup, but Nwachukwu was fouled on a putback attempt.
With Nwachukwu sinking both free throw attempts, Cal Poly enjoyed one final opportunity to win the matchup in the game's final second, but a Rogers attempt in the lane from a baseline baseball pass from Mustang graduate guard Jamal Smith fell short at the buzzer.
During the first meeting between the two programs since Nov. 27, 2010, Rogers added 10 points and grabbed a career high six rebounds.
Cal Poly returns to Mott Athletics Center and closes its 2019 home slate on Saturday, Dec. 21 versus CSU Bakersfield. Tip time is 7 p.m.
With Ballard notching six early points and five different Mustangs scoring, Cal Poly carved out a 14-10 lead after six minutes of action. The Hornets, however, responded with an 11-0 run and, in holding Cal Poly scoreless for five minutes, flew out to a 21-14 lead nine minutes before the break.
Colvin stemmed Sacramento State's run with a putback and, with the Mustangs still trailing, 26-18, the San Luis Obispo native hit three-pointers on successive possessions to trim Cal Poly's deficit to two with six minutes left in the half.
The Mustangs closed within two points of Sacramento State's lead once more down the stretch with the Hornets ultimately taking a 37-32 advantage in halftime.
Sacramento State then opened the second half with a 9-2 run, stretching the lead to 46-34 with 16-and-a-half minutes to play.
