Cal Poly Visits UC Irvine for Two-Game, Jan. 22-23 Series on ESPN3

Friday, January 22

Irvine, Calif.

4 p.m.

UC Irvine

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Cal Poly Visits UC Irvine for Two-Game, Jan. 22-23 Series on ESPN3

1/21/2021 11:53:00 AM | Men's Basketball

CAL POLY UPDATED PLAYER GAME HIGHS

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Seeking its first Big West Conference victory of the year, the Cal Poly men's basketball program visits UC Irvine for a two-game, Jan. 22-23 series. Tip time inside the Bren Events Center is 4 p.m. both afternoons on ESPN3 for Cal Poly (2-8, 0-4), which was swept at CSU Bakersfield (Jan. 8-9) and versus UC Riverside (Jan. 15-16) to begin its Big West schedule. UC Irvine (6-4, 2-0), meanwhile, opened its Big West slate with successive home victories against UC Santa Barbara (Dec. 27-28) before seeing back-to-back series at CSUN (Jan. 1-2) and versus UC Davis (Jan. 8-9) cancelled. The Anteaters lead all Big West programs in rebounds per game (40.4) while ranking second with 78.5 points per matchup and a 48.6 percent field goal mark.

FOLLOW CAL POLY THIS WEEK: Chris Sylvester provides play-by-play for Cal Poly's Jan. 22-23 series at UC Irvine for ESPN 1280 in San Luis Obispo County and on GoPoly.com HERE … live stats and video via ESPN3 of both matchups will also be available via GoPoly.com HERE.

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 IRVINE: Cal Poly has prevailed inside the Bren Events Center just once in its last six visits and defeated the Anteaters only once in the past 13 overall matchups. Swept by UC Irvine in each of the last three seasons, Cal Poly trails in both the overall (36-22) and Division I (33-19) series.

KOROMA'S SUPERB SOPHOMORE EFFORT: Cal Poly's leader with five double-digit scoring games this season after recording just three in 26 appearances last winter, sophomore forward Alimamy Koroma enters the program's Jan. 22-23 series at UC Irvine first in the lineup with 11.4 points per game. After scoring 16 points against Santa Clara (Dec. 9), Koroma notched a career best 17 points to power a Dec. 13 home win against San Jose State. Most recently against UC Riverside, Koroma scored 15 points (Jan. 15) before adding 13 (Jan. 16). After grabbing a season best eight rebounds versus UC Riverside (Jan. 15), Koroma ranks third in the lineup with 5.0 rebounds per game and a 73.3 (22-for-30) percent free throw mark

ROGERS RESUMES IMPACT: Helped by an 18-point performance at CSU Bakersfield (Jan. 8), sophomore guard Colby Rogers enters Cal Poly's Jan. 22-23 series at UC Irvine second in the lineup with 9.6 points per matchup. 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 8.8 points per 35 career games.

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 fifth in the lineup at 6.3 points per game. With a 40.6 (13-for-32) percent three-point mark, guard Kobe Sanders ranks sixth with 6.2 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 5.6 points per outing. Cal Poly's leading rebounder is forward Dyson Koehler, who has grabbed at least six boards in six of seven appearances and is averaging 5.9 per night.

LOOKING AHEAD (JAN. 29-30): Either side of its bye week, Cal Poly plays its next two Big West series at home inside Mott Athletics Center, starting with a two-game set versus CSUN (Jan. 29-30). After the scheduled Feb. 5-6 bye dates, the Mustangs host Cal State Fullerton for a 12-13 series.