San Jose State
Cal Poly Back in Action Saturday at San Jose State
12/10/2024 3:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Following a week’s break for finals – and after the Cal Poly men’s basketball program’s initial two Big West games – the Mustangs return to non-conference action when visiting San Jose State on Saturday, Dec. 14. Tip time on the Mountain West Network is 7 p.m. for Cal Poly (5-6, 0-2), which looks to snap a two-game slide when facing the Spartans (5-6, 0-1) after dropping its initial pair of Big West matchups at UC Davis (Dec. 5) and versus CSUN (Dec. 7). Second among Big West programs at 81.6 points per game, Cal Poly – under first-year head coach Mike DeGeorge – is averaging 17.0 more points per game than at the same stage last season. The Mustangs have scored 90-plus points in a game three times already this year after hitting the mark just twice during the previous four years. Fueling the scoring surge is Cal Poly’s three-point prowess as the Mustangs rank 20th among 355 NCAA Division I programs with 29.9 three-pointers attempted per game and 34th with 10.2 three-pointers made per game. After opening its Mountain West slate with an 83-77 loss at New Mexico (Dec. 4), San Jose State rebounded with a 117-80 home victory against Lincoln University on Monday.
CAL POLY VERSUS SAN JOSE STATE: Following an 81-77 overtime home victory against San Jose State last December, Cal Poly seeks its fifth win versus the Spartans in the last six meetings dating to the 2011-12 season. San Jose State leads the all-time series (16-5), but Cal Poly leads the Division I series (5-4).
KOONCE UPS THE SCORING LEAD: A double-digit scorer in all but two games – and those two were nine-point outings – graduate guard Owen Koonce, following a career high 30-point effort in Cal Poly’s victory at Stanford (Nov. 30) and 25-point, 10-rebound night versus CSUN (Dec. 7), enters Saturday’s matchup at San Jose State leading the Mustangs and ranked fourth among Big West players with 16.9 points per game. The Dec. 2 Big West Player of the Week selection, Koonce – averaging 24.7 points per Cal Poly’s last three games – also ranks sixth in the Big West with a team leading 56.5 (70-for-124) percent field goal mark while topping the Mustangs with 5.3 rebounds per outing. One of only two Mustangs to start all 11 games, Koonce scored 18 points in his Mustang debut at San Francisco (Nov. 5) before adding 19 at Eastern Washington (Nov. 17) and at UC Davis (Dec. 5).
Finals week is here, but Cal Poly returns to action Saturday, Dec. 14 at San Jose State. Tip time 7 p.m.#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/zRzyQRMZd8
— Cal Poly Men’s Basketball (@calpolymbb) December 9, 2024
JESSUP EMERGES AS ONE OF NATION’S TOP THREE-POINT THREATS: Having reached double-digit scoring figures in all but one outing, senior guard Isaac Jessup enters Saturday’s contest at San Jose State ranked 13th among NCAA Division I players with 3.6 three-pointers per game, 39th with a 46.8 (29-for-62) percent three-point mark and 42nd with 29 three-pointers. Having already knocked down five three-pointers in a game three times, Jessup’s most recent standout scoring performance was a 21-point effort at Stanford (Nov. 30) that was one shy of his career high. Jessup also scored 20 points at California in just his second Division I appearance and enjoyed 17-point efforts at Arizona State (Nov. 20) and versus Grambling State (Nov. 26).
THE GRADUATE: It took more than five years to better his career scoring high, but a 27-point performance at Arizona State (Nov. 20) that included seven three-pointers allowed guard Jarred Hyder a new collegiate best – and the graduate performer the third spot in Cal Poly’s lineup with 13.8 points per night. Hyder, whose previous scoring best was a 26-point effort while at freshman at Fresno State early in the 2019-20 season, has also scored 19 points this season against both San Francisco (Nov. 5) and Menlo College (Nov. 10) among six double-digit outings. A starter in all 34 appearances as a Mustang dating to last season, Hyder also leads Cal Poly and ranks second among Big West players at 32.9 minutes per game and 10th with 2.9 assists per game.
RINIKER’S PERCENTAGE POINTS: A year after shooting 63.8 percent for Division II Colorado Mesa, graduate guard Mac Riniker ranks 12th among Big West players with a 52.1 (49-for-94) percent mark. One of two Mustangs to start all 11 games alongside Owen Koonce, Riniker ranks second in the lineup with 5.2 rebounds per game and fourth with 10.9 points per night after notching a Cal Poly-best 15 at Eastern Washington (Nov. 17) and matching the total at Saint Mary’s (Nov. 23).
DEGEORGE TAKES THE MUSTANG REINS: Named Cal Poly’s sixth head coach at the Division I level on March 26, Mike DeGeorge arrived in San Luis Obispo from Division II Colorado Mesa after directing the Mavericks to 141 wins in six seasons, three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season championships and five NCAA Tournament appearances – including Sweet 16 trips in 2022 and 2024. Bringing more than two decades of head coaching experience to Cal Poly, DeGeorge’s squads at Colorado Mesa were known for their offensive prowess. During the 2023-24 season, Colorado Mesa led Division II in effective field goal percentage (.596), finished third in three-pointers per game (11.4) and 15th in points per game (11.4). Both of DeGeorge’s assistant coaches from Colorado Mesa – Kyle Bossier and BJ Andrews – joined Cal Poly in the offseason, as well as four transfers from Colorado Mesa.
LOOKING AHEAD: Two games remain in the calendar year for Cal Poly with the Mustangs first hosting Denver on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. before visiting Omaha on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 5 p.m. PT. The Mustangs then enjoy a 12-day break before resuming Big West action on Thursday, Jan. 2 when hosting UC Irvine.
ETC.: Cal Poly is in its 31st Division I season and 81st as a four-year program … Cal Poly’s Nov. 5 matchup at San Francisco marked the earliest opening date to a season in program history … Cal Poly’s 93.3 (14-for-15) percent free throw mark at San Francisco (Nov. 5) marked the fourth highest single game figure in program history … since transitioning to the Division I level prior to the 1994-95 season, Cal Poly is 49-1 against non-Division I programs following a 99-66 home victory against Division II Menlo College (Nov. 10) … Cal Poly’s 99-66 home win against Menlo College (Nov. 10) marked head coach Mike DeGeorge’s first victory in charge of Cal Poly while the program’s 75-71 win versus Seattle (Nov. 14) was the first against a Division I opponent … Jarred Hyder’s seven three-pointers at Arizona State (Nov. 20) were one shy of the program single game record recorded three previous times and most recently by Dawin Whiten (Feb. 10, 2007) … Cal Poly’s Nov. 26 home victory against Grambling State marked the program’s first all-time matchup with the Tigers … Cal Poly’s Dec. 5 Big West opener at UC Davis marked the earliest conference start date in program history.
