Cal Poly, Wyoming Meet for First Time Saturday Evening

Saturday, November 11

Laramie, WY

6 p.m.

Wyoming

Photo by: Owen Main

Cal Poly, Wyoming Meet for First Time Saturday Evening

11/10/2023 10:04:00 AM | Men's Basketball

COMPLETE GAME PREVIEW (pdf)

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Now in its 80th year as a Division I program, the Cal Poly men's basketball team plays its first game in the state of Wyoming on Saturday, Nov. 11. Tip time against the host Cowboys from the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie is 6 p.m. PT (7 p.m. MT) for Cal Poly (1-1), which opened the year with an 80-62 home victory against Division III La Verne (Nov. 6) before falling at Denver, 97-76 (Nov. 9). Playing just the second of only four scheduled games outside of the Pacific Time Zone Saturday, Cal Poly also faces Wyoming for the first time in program history. Wyoming (1-0), meanwhile, began its year with a 104-56 home victory against NAIA Northern New Mexico (Nov. 7).

CAL POLY VERSUS WYOMING AND THE MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE: Wyoming remains the last current Mountain West program Cal Poly has yet to play in program history. Having faced at least one Mountain West program for 14 successive seasons, Cal Poly's last victory against a conference member was a 73-71 home win versus San Jose State (Dec. 13, 2020).

SANDERS RETURNS TO SCORING COLUMN: After missing Cal Poly's final six games of last season through injury, guard Kobe Sanders – the only senior in the lineup – opened the year with a 16-point performance against La Verne (Nov. 6) before finishing with a team high 18 points at Denver (Nov. 9). Cal Poly's leading scorer early on and now with 16 career double-digit scoring games, Sanders also tops the Mustangs with a 90.9 (10-for-11) percent free throw mark.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT: Limited to just three appearances and 14 total minutes as a true freshman last year, sophomore forward Aaron Price, Jr., produced career highs for points (12) and rebounds (seven) during Cal Poly's Nov. 9 matchup at Denver.

FROM LONDON WITH BLOCKS: An offseason transfer from two-year College of Southern Idaho, junior center Joel Armotrading's Division I debut against La Verne (Nov. 6) comprised team highs for points (21), rebounds (eight) and blocks (five). With the highest block total by a Mustang in 48 games, Armotrading is Cal Poly's leading shooter, taking a 62.5 (10-for-16) percent field goal mark in Saturday's matchup at Wyoming.

THE GRADUATE: Playing his first games in two years after missing last season through injury, graduate guard Jarred Hyder – an offseason transfer from California – enters Saturday's matchup at Wyoming as Cal Poly's third leading scorer at 12.0 points per game after finishing with a season best 15 at Denver (Nov. 9).

BACK IN THE GREEN: A 49.0 (175-for-357) percent career shooter and ranked 10th in program history with 55 career blocks, graduate forward Tuukka Jaakkola – after performing for Cal Poly from 2018-22, earning his bachelors degree and departing the university – has returned to utilize his renewable 2020-21 season. As one of a handful, if not the only Division I player in this situation, Jaakkola appeared in all 28 of Cal Poly's games during his 2021-22 senior season. With 106 career games played for Cal Poly, Jaakkola needs just 23 more appearances to surpass guard Jamal Johnson's program record of 128 (2010-14).

LOOKING AHEAD (NOV. 17-19): Following a six-day break, Cal Poly resumes action at California Baptist's Lancer Joust, opening the tournament on Friday, Nov. 17 against a third straight first-time opponent in St. Thomas. The Mustangs then face Portland State (Saturday, Nov. 18) before closing play against California Baptist (Sunday, Nov. 19).

ETC.: Cal Poly is its 30th Division I season this year and 80th as a four-year program … Cal Poly improved to 48-1 all-time against non-Division I opposition with an 80-62 home victory against Division III La Verne (Nov. 6) … against La Verne, Cal Poly also prevailed in a season opener for the fourth straight year … Cal Poly's Nov. 9 matchup at Denver marked the programs first all-time matchup with the Pioneers with the Mustangs having now faced all nine current Summit League members.