Denver
Mustangs Close 2024 versus Pair of Summit League Opponents
12/16/2024 12:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Cal Poly Men's Basketball
Upcoming Matchups
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Prior to returning to Big West action on Jan. 2, the Cal Poly men’s basketball program closes the 2024 calendar year against two Summit League opponents as the Mustangs first host Denver on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. (ESPN+) before visiting Omaha on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. PT/8 p.m. CT (Summit League Network). Having sustained just one loss in four previous home matchups this season, Cal Poly (5-7) looks to snap a three-game slide following Saturday’s 107-100 overtime setback at San Jose State. The Big West’s top scoring program at 83.2 points per game, Cal Poly – under first-year head coach Mike DeGeorge – is averaging 18.4 more points per game than at the same stage last season. The Mustangs have scored 90-plus points in a game four 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 18th among 355 NCAA Division I programs with 30.2 three-pointers attempted per game and 31st with 10.3 three-pointers made per game. Denver (6-7), facing its third Big West opponent of the season in Cal Poly, saw a three-game winning streak snapped with a 74-59 Sunday loss at Cal State Fullerton. Meanwhile, Omaha (4-9) – following a Sunday loss at No. 3 Iowa State – enjoys a six-day break before hosting Cal Poly.
CAL POLY VERSUS DENVER: The Pioneers prevailed at home last season in the only previous matchup between the two programs on Nov. 9, 2023 (97-76).
CAL POLY VERSUS OMAHA: The Mustangs have prevailed in both previous meetings with Omaha, defeating the Mavericks at home on Nov. 30, 1990 (93-83) and Dec. 21, 2023 (66-53). Saturday’s matchup marks just Cal Poly’s third all-time game in the state of Nebraska following setbacks at Creighton during the 1956-57 and 2019-20 seasons.
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 32-point effort at San Jose State (Dec. 14) and 30-point night in Cal Poly’s Nov. 30 victory at Stanford, enters Tuesday’s matchup with Denver leading the Mustangs and ranked third among Big West players with 18.2 points per game and sixth with a 56.7 (80-for-141) percent field goal mark. The Dec. 2 Big West Player of the Week selection, Koonce – averaging 26.5 points per Cal Poly’s last four games – also tops the Mustangs with 5.5 rebounds per outing. One of only two Mustangs to start all 12 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).
Just two games remaining in 2024 as Cal Poly hosts Denver Tuesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ before visiting Omaha Saturday at 6 p.m. PT on the Summit League Network.#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/klSxGboxiv
— Cal Poly Men’s Basketball (@calpolymbb) December 16, 2024
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 14.2 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 seven double-digit outings. A starter in all 35 appearances as a Mustang dating to last season, Hyder also leads Cal Poly and ranks second among Big West players at 33.3 minutes per game and ninth with 3.0 assists per game.
RINIKER’S PERCENTAGE POINTS: A year after shooting 63.8 percent for Division II Colorado Mesa, graduate guard Mac Riniker ranks eighth among Big West players with a 54.5 (54-for-99) percent mark. One of two Mustangs to start all 12 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) among eight double-digit scoring outings.
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 Tuesday’s contest with Denver ranked 10th among NCAA Division I players with 3.63 three-pointers per game, 27th with a 46.8 (29-for-62) percent three-point mark and 80th 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).
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 (JAN. 2/4): The Mustangs enjoy a 12-day break before opening 2025 and resuming Big West action on Thursday, Jan. 2 when hosting UC Irvine at 5 p.m. Cal Poly then concludes the initial week of 2025 at Hawai’i on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 9 p.m. PT (7 p.m. HT).
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.
