Cal Poly Sustains First Loss of Year, Falling to San Francisco

Friday, December 4

San Luis Obispo, CA

6 p.m.

1-1,0-0Big West

San Francisco

4-2,0-0WCC

Team	1	2	F
San Francisco	45	43	88
Cal Poly	32	28	60

Photo by: Owen Main

12/4/2020 8:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Sophomore forward Alimamy Koroma matched a career high with 14 points, but the Cal Poly men's basketball program sustained its first loss of the 2020-21 season on Friday evening, dropping an 88-60 decision to San Francisco inside Mott Athletics Center.

Freshman forward Brantly Stevenson and freshman guard Camren Pierce added eight points apiece for Cal Poly (1-1), which forced San Francisco (4-2) into 20 turnovers. San Francisco, however, shot 58.2 (32-for-55) percent from the floor and 43.5 (10-for-23) percent from three-point range and led for the final 29 minutes in victory.

During the first meeting between the two programs in seven seasons and in just San Francisco's fourth all-time visit to San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly graduate forward Riley Till (above) grabbed a team high seven rebounds and scored seven points.

Cal Poly's season-opening home stand continues on Monday, Dec. 7 versus New Mexico State (6 p.m.), Wednesday, Dec. 9 against Santa Clara (time TBA) and Wednesday, Dec. 16 versus San Diego (3 p.m.).

Mustang freshman guard Kobe Sanders opened Friday's matchup with a three-pointer, but San Francisco scored 14 of the next 20 points to take control of the lead. A Stevenson jumper and three-pointer on successive possessions helped Cal Poly draw level at 14-14, 12-and-a-half minutes before the break, but the Dons finished the opening period with a 24-12 run. Dons guard Julian Rishwain sent San Francisco into the locker room with a 45-32 lead after sinking a three-pointer at the first-half horn.

The Dons opened the second half with three-pointers by guard Khalil Shabazz and forward Dzmitry Ryuny before a dunk from forward Taavi Jurkatamm ran San Francisco's advantage to 53-32 with 17-and-a-half minutes to play.

Cal Poly cut San Francisco's lead to fewer than 20 points just once the remainder of the evening.