Cal Poly Opens Big West Home Schedule versus UC Riverside Jan. 15-16

Friday, January 15

San Luis Obispo, Calif.

4 p.m.

UC Riverside

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Cal Poly Opens Big West Home Schedule versus UC Riverside Jan. 15-16

1/14/2021 11:52:00 AM | Men's Basketball

MUSTANG HOOPS WEEKLY GAME PROGRAM
CAL POLY UPDATED PLAYER GAME HIGHS

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Back home inside Mott Athletics Center for the first time in 30 days, the Cal Poly men's basketball program opens its remaining eight-game Big West Conference home schedule when hosting UC Riverside Jan. 15-16. Tip time is 4 p.m. both afternoons for Cal Poly (2-6, 0-2), which began Big West action with a pair of defeats at CSU Bakersfield (Jan. 15-16). Cal Poly previously saw its opening two weekends of Big West action – at Hawai'i (Dec. 27-28) and versus UC San Diego (Jan. 1-2) – cancelled. UC Riverside (4-3, 1-1), playing just its third game since Dec. 10, opened its Big West schedule by splitting a pair of home matchups against Hawai'i (Jan. 8-9).

FOLLOW CAL POLY THIS WEEK: Chris Sylvester provides play-by-play for Cal Poly's Jan. 15-16 series versus UC Riverside for ESPN 1280 in San Luis Obispo County and on GoPoly.com … live stats and video of both matchups will also be available via GoPoly.com.

A REVISED BIG WEST SCHEDULE FOR 2020: This season's Big West schedule was expanded from 16 games to 20 following the offseason additions of UC San Diego (making its Division I debut) and CSU Bakersfield (joining from the Western Athletic Conference). Modified to reduce travel and emphasize safety, the Big West schedule has been altered so that teams play the same opponent on consecutive days at one site. Each Big West program will play its conference schedule over an 11-week period with one bye week. Games will not be rescheduled should a program need to quarantine during the season. Tie-breaking procedures shall be utilized at the end of the regular season.

CAL POLY VERSUS UC RIVERSIDE: Including a 61-49 win last season, UC Riverside has prevailed in its last two visits to Mott Athletics Center and during four of its last five. With the two sides meeting for the 103rd time on Friday, the all-time series is drawn, 51-51, since the first meeting on Dec. 22, 1968. Cal Poly leads the Division I series, 28-16.

ROGERS TAKES OVER SCORING LEAD: After matching his career scoring high with an 18-point performance at CSU Bakersfield (Jan. 8), sophomore guard Colby Rogers now leads Cal Poly with 12.3 points per game. After missing Cal Poly's opening five games through injury, Rogers made his sophomore debut with eight points at Loyola Marymount (Dec. 19). Rogers, who also scored 11 points at UC Riverside (Jan. 9), is averaging 8.4 points per 33 career games.

KOROMA SUPERB SOPHOMORE EFFORT: A double-digit scorer just three times in 26 games last season, sophomore forward Alimamy Koroma has already equaled that total through six appearances this year. Cal Poly's second leading scorer at 10.5 points per game, Koroma scored a career high 17 points during Cal Poly's Dec. 13 home victory against San Jose State (Dec. 13) after recording 16 versus Santa Clara (Dec. 9). Also third in Cal Poly's lineup at 4.8 rebounds per game, Koroma added 14 points versus San Francisco (Dec. 4).

FRESHMEN IN THE FOLD: Four members of Cal Poly's seven-player freshman class are enjoying an immediate impact for the program during their first seasons on campus. Cal Poly's second leading free throw shooter at 81.3 (13-for-16) percent, point guard Camren Pierce is fourth in the lineup at 7.4 points per game. With a 46.7 (21-for-45) percent field goal mark, guard Kobe Sanders ranks sixth with 6.9 points per game. Forward Brantly Stevenson, whose 17-point effort during a Dec. 13 home victory against San Jose State marks the second highest scoring output by a Mustang this season, is averaging 6.5 points per outing. Cal Poly's second leading rebounder is forward Dyson Koehler, who has grabbed at least six boards in every appearance and is averaging 6.3 per night.

LOOKING AHEAD (JAN. 22-23): Cal Poly looks to snap a six-game slide against UC Irvine when visiting the Bren Events Center for 4 p.m. matchups on Friday, Jan. 22 and Saturday, Jan. 23.