Mustangs Back Home to Host California Baptist Saturday Evening

Saturday, December 3

San Luis Obispo, CA

6 p.m.

California Baptist

Tickets

Photo by: Owen Main

Mustangs Back Home to Host California Baptist Saturday Evening

12/1/2022 10:42:00 AM | Men's Basketball

COMPLETE GAME PREVIEW

SAN LUIS OBISPO – The Cal Poly men's basketball program opens a two-game home stand and pursues its first three-game winning streak in five years when hosting California Baptist on Saturday, Dec. 3. Tip time is 6 p.m. for Cal Poly (3-3), which plays three of its ensuing four games at home inside Mott Athletics Center after Wednesday evening's scheduled matchup at Pepperdine was cancelled. Following victories against Idaho (Nov. 23) and at Pacific (Nov. 28), a victory Saturday versus California Baptist (5-3) provides Cal Poly its first three-game winning streak since Nov. 15-22, 2017. Facing its fourth Big West Conference opponent of the year Saturday, California Baptist also seeks a third successive victory following home triumphs versus Central Michigan (Nov. 26) and UC Riverside (Nov. 30).

FOLLOW CAL POLY: Chris Sylvester provides play-by-play coverage for ESPN+ of Saturday's matchup with California Baptist HERE … Zachary Anderson-Yoxsimer has the audio play-by-play call for ESPN 1280 (San Luis Obispo County) and GoPoly.com HERE … live stats will also be available via GoPoly.com HERE.

CAL POLY VERSUS CALIFORNIA BAPTIST: Facing the Lancers for the second successive season after a 22-year series hiatus, Cal Poly fell on the road last season, 64-55 (Dec. 2). Current Cal Poly graduate guard Chance Hunter scored nine points in 15 minutes in that result for California Baptist. Cal Poly leads the all-time series, 5-1, since the first meeting – a 70-56 Mustang victory on Jan. 5, 1983. Cal Poly's 143-97 victory (Dec. 3, 1996) against California Baptist remains the highest scoring output in program history.

KOROMA REMAINS CAL POLY'S OFFENSIVE CATALYST: One of Cal Poly's top two scorers for a third successive season, forward Alimamy Koroma once again leads the program with 12.8 points per game following a season high 23-point performance versus Idaho (Nov. 23). With a Big West leading 58.7 (27-for-46) percent field goal mark, Koroma also ranks 59th among NCAA Division I shooters. With 40 career double-digit scoring games (including four this season), Koroma is averaging 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 50.8 (327-for-644) percent through 82 collegiate outings and 53 start. He requires 120 more points to become just the 25th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. Koroma also ranks eighth in program history with 64 career blocks.

TAYLOR MADE SCORING: Cal Poly's second leading scorer at 10.7 points per game following a 17-point performance against Mount St. Mary's (Nov. 20), senior guard Trevon Taylor completed a second career double-double with 10 rebounds versus The Mount. The only Mustang to start all six games this season, Taylor – who has produced three straight double-digit scoring games – also leads Cal Poly with 5.3 rebounds per game.

STEVENSON'S CAREER DAY: With a 10-for-13 shooting performance to fuel a career best 23-point evening at Pacific (Nov. 28), junior forward Brantly Stevenson now ranks as the program's third leading scorer with 9.8 points per game. Shooting 55.0 (22-for-40) percent from the floor, Stevenson is also Cal Poly's leading free throw shooter at 84.6 percent.

THE SMITHS: With the addition of Jamal Smith – son of fourth-year head coach John Smith – as director of operations, Cal Poly is one of only three Division I programs with that familial distinction. Louisiana Monroe features head coach Keith Richard and director of operations Luke while North Florida counts head coach Matthew Driscoll alongside operations director and son, Chase.

LOOKING AHEAD (SATURDAY, DEC. 10): Cal Poly enjoys a seven-day break for finals week before concluding a two-game home stand versus Portland State on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. Facing Portland State last season for the first time in 12 years, the Mustangs prevailed on the road, 61-58.

ETC.: Cal Poly is in its 79th season as a four-year program and 29th at the Division I level … since transitioning to the Division I level prior to the 1994-95 season, Cal Poly improved to 45-1 against non-Division I programs with a 94-59 home win against NCCAA Bethesda University (Nov. 7) … Cal Poly's 73-68 home setback versus Mount St. Mary's (Nov. 18) marked the program's first all-time matchup versus The Mount and just the fourth all-time game against a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent … forward Alimamy Koroma and guard Trevon Taylor earned spots on the California Thanksgiving Jam all-tournament team (Nov. 20, 23) … Cal Poly's 58.3 (30-for-51) percent field goal mark in an 82-71 home victory against Idaho (Nov. 23) marked the highest single game total under fourth-year head coach John Smith … Cal Poly's seven turnovers versus Idaho were the fewest amount since finishing with seven against UC Riverside on Jan. 16, 2021 … due to health and safety protocols with Pepperdine, Cal Poly's Nov. 30 road matchup with the Waves was cancelled.