Cal Poly Visits CSU Bakersfield for Jan. 8-9 Series on ESPN3

Friday, January 8

Bakersfield, Calif.

7 p.m.

CSU Bakersfield

Photo by: Owen Main

Cal Poly Visits CSU Bakersfield for Jan. 8-9 Series on ESPN3

1/7/2021 12:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball

UPDATED PLAYER GAME HIGHS

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Resuming action following a 20-day hiatus, the Cal Poly men's basketball program opens its remaining Big West Conference schedule with a two-game, Jan. 8-9 series at CSU Bakersfield. Tip time is 7 p.m. both nights with action broadcasted via ESPN3. After closing non-conference action at Loyola Marymount (Dec. 19), Cal Poly (2-4) saw its opening two Big West series at Hawai'i (Dec. 27-28) and versus UC San Diego (Jan. 1-2) cancelled. Transitioning from the Western Athletic Conference during the offseason, CSU Bakersfield (5-4, 1-1) had its opening Big West series versus UC Davis (Dec. 27-28) canceled before officially opening conference play with a Jan. 1-2 split at Long Beach State. The Friday, Jan. 8 matchup marks the first conference meeting between Cal Poly and CSU Bakersfield since Feb. 26, 1994, after which Cal Poly departed the Collegiate California Athletic Association to move to the Division I level.

FOLLOW CAL POLY THIS WEEK: Chris Sylvester provides play-by-play for Cal Poly's Jan. 8-9 series at CSU Bakersfield for ESPN 1280 in San Luis Obispo County and on GoPoly.com HERE … Vance Palm (play-by-play) and Greg Kerr (analyst) will have the call for ESPN3 (streaming links via GoPoly.com HERE) … live stats 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 CSU BAKERSFIELD: Cal Poly has dropped its last four matchups versus CSU Bakersfield after the Roadrunners prevailed inside Mott Athletics Center on Dec. 21, 2019 (72-50). Cal Poly's last series win against the Roadrunners was a 77-61 road triumph on Jan. 29, 2011. CSU Bakersfield leads both the all-time (33-26) and Division I (8-2) series.

KOROMA SETS THE SCORING PACE: A double-digit scorer just three times in 26 games last season, sophomore forward Alimamy Koroma has already equaled that total through six games this year. Cal Poly's 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 second 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. The Big West's sixth leading three-point shooter at 54.5 (12-for-22) percent, guard Kobe Sanders ranks second in Cal Poly's lineup with a 55.6 (20-for-36) percent field goal mark and 8.8 points per game. Forward Brantly Stevenson, whose 17-point effort during a Dec. 13 home victory against San Jose State matches the top single game output by a Mustang this season, is averaging 7.5 points per outing. Cal Poly's third leading shooter at 52.8 (19-for-36) percent, point guard Camren Pierce is fourth in the lineup at 7.8 points per game. Cal Poly's top rebounder is forward Dyson Koehler, who has grabbed at least six boards in every game and is averaging 6.3 per night.

LOOKING AHEAD (JAN. 15-16): Back home inside Mott Athletics Center for the first time in 30 days, Cal Poly is scheduled to open its now eight-game home Big West slate with a Jan. 15-16 series against UC Riverside. Tip time both days is 4 p.m.