Saturday, November 30
Stanford, CA
7 p.m.
5-4,0-0Big West
97
at
90
Stanford
6-2,0-0ACC
1
2
F
Cal Poly
34
63
97
Stanford
43
47
90
Team Stats
CPO
Stan
FG%
.541
.463
3FG%
.400
.303
FT%
.864
.818
RB
36
32
TO
14
9
STL
3
12
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
30
FGM
12
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
5
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
6
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
PG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Owen Main
Mustangs Knock Off Stanford Saturday, 97-90
11/30/2024 9:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
STANFORD – Graduate Owen Koonce (above) scored a career high 30 points and fellow guard Isaac Jessup added 21 Saturday evening as the Cal Poly men's basketball program – after trailing at Stanford by nine at halftime and 12 early in the second half – earned a 97-90 triumph inside Maples Pavilion.
Guards Mac Riniker (12 points), Peter Bandelj (11) and Jarred Hyder (10) completed a quintet of double-digit scorers for Cal Poly (5-4), which shot 71.4 (20-for-28) percent during the second half and knocked down eight second-half three-pointers to outscore Stanford (6-2) by 16 points during the final 10-and-half minutes.
"It's a really meaningful win for us and it was great to see us start to establish our identity," first-year Cal Poly head coach Mike DeGeorge said. "We're trying to spread you out; we're trying to increase the pace. We were able to win on the day, but they obviously have a great program and they're a great team.
"This is my first year and we're really trying to get [our players] to understand how to sustain pace and I thought that in the second half we were able to do that."
Koonce, who bested a previous career scoring high of 27 set last season while with Colorado Mesa, finished 12-for-16 from the floor. Jessup, who co-led Cal Poly with seven rebounds alongside Koonce, sank five three-pointers.
"I just told the players after the game 'congratulations' – it's their game," DeGeorge added. "So, we're just happy for them that they executed like they did in the second half to get back in it and win it."
Cal Poly resumes action on Thursday, Dec. 5, opening Big West play at UC Davis. Tip time on ESPN+ is 6 p.m.
Koonce recorded 16 first-half points for Cal Poly, but the Mustangs – held to a 39.4 (13-for-33) percent field goal mark and just four three-pointers in 16 attempts during the opening period – trailed at the break, 43-34.
Cal Poly, however, knocked down six of its initial seven attempts to open the second half with a Hyder three-pointer cutting the deficit to 55-50 with 15-and-a-half minutes to go.
Three minutes later, Jessup tied the game at 59-59 with his second three-pointer of the evening. The Cardinal responded by knocking down their next three field goals as part of a 9-0 sprint, but Cal Poly – fueled by 15 combined points from Koonce and Jessup – answered with a 20-10 run to take a 79-78 lead with five minutes to play.
The Mustangs trailed just once more following two free throws by Stanford guard Benny Gealer as Jessup's fifth and final three-pointer placed Cal Poly back in front 82-80 with four-and-a-half remaining.
Stanford managed to tie the game once more at 84-84 with two minutes to go before Cal Poly received a Hyder three-pointer, Riniker layup and two Jessup free throws to place the scoreline out of reach.
Guards Mac Riniker (12 points), Peter Bandelj (11) and Jarred Hyder (10) completed a quintet of double-digit scorers for Cal Poly (5-4), which shot 71.4 (20-for-28) percent during the second half and knocked down eight second-half three-pointers to outscore Stanford (6-2) by 16 points during the final 10-and-half minutes.
"It's a really meaningful win for us and it was great to see us start to establish our identity," first-year Cal Poly head coach Mike DeGeorge said. "We're trying to spread you out; we're trying to increase the pace. We were able to win on the day, but they obviously have a great program and they're a great team.
"This is my first year and we're really trying to get [our players] to understand how to sustain pace and I thought that in the second half we were able to do that."
Koonce, who bested a previous career scoring high of 27 set last season while with Colorado Mesa, finished 12-for-16 from the floor. Jessup, who co-led Cal Poly with seven rebounds alongside Koonce, sank five three-pointers.
"I just told the players after the game 'congratulations' – it's their game," DeGeorge added. "So, we're just happy for them that they executed like they did in the second half to get back in it and win it."
Cal Poly resumes action on Thursday, Dec. 5, opening Big West play at UC Davis. Tip time on ESPN+ is 6 p.m.
Koonce recorded 16 first-half points for Cal Poly, but the Mustangs – held to a 39.4 (13-for-33) percent field goal mark and just four three-pointers in 16 attempts during the opening period – trailed at the break, 43-34.
Cal Poly, however, knocked down six of its initial seven attempts to open the second half with a Hyder three-pointer cutting the deficit to 55-50 with 15-and-a-half minutes to go.
Three minutes later, Jessup tied the game at 59-59 with his second three-pointer of the evening. The Cardinal responded by knocking down their next three field goals as part of a 9-0 sprint, but Cal Poly – fueled by 15 combined points from Koonce and Jessup – answered with a 20-10 run to take a 79-78 lead with five minutes to play.
The Mustangs trailed just once more following two free throws by Stanford guard Benny Gealer as Jessup's fifth and final three-pointer placed Cal Poly back in front 82-80 with four-and-a-half remaining.
Stanford managed to tie the game once more at 84-84 with two minutes to go before Cal Poly received a Hyder three-pointer, Riniker layup and two Jessup free throws to place the scoreline out of reach.
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