Photo by: Ian Billings Photography
Cal Poly Welcomes Back 2014 Big West Champions, NCAA Tournament Team
2/1/2024 10:47:00 AM | Men's Basketball
EDITOR'S NOTE: To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Cal Poly men's basketball program's Big West Tournament championship team and NCAA Tournament appearance, the Mustang Athletics Department will honor the accomplishments and recognize the players during the team's Saturday, Feb. 3 matchup with UC Davis at 3 p.m. (all images courtesy of Ian Billings).
SAN LUIS OBISPO – An extremely sparse collection of fans and staff filed into Anaheim's Honda Center on the morning of Thursday, March 13, 2014. The opening game of the Big West Tournament matched seventh-seeded Cal Poly against No. 2 UC Santa Barbara – an opponent that finished six games higher in the Big West standings and had defeated the Mustangs by 16 points just five days prior on their home court in the senior night, regular season finale.
The Mustangs prevailed. By 31 points. Eight days later, Cal Poly found itself squaring off with top-seeded and top-ranked Wichita State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, meeting the 34-0 Shockers in a primetime matchup on CBS.
"It's still an extremely meaningful event that gets brought up quite frequently in friend circles when I visit San Luis Obispo," said forward Chris Eversley, a senior that season. "(The players have) all gone in different directions but will forever be tied to a glimpse of greatness together in San Luis Obispo. That's the true beauty of sport and what it can do for student-athletes and coaches who commit to one another to achieve something great that will last a lifetime. My hope for teams of the present and future is that they also get to experience something this memorable in their lives."
On Saturday, Feb. 3, during the program's 3 p.m. matchup with UC Davis, Cal Poly will celebrate the accomplishments of its historic 2013-14 team, welcoming back the players who provided the University with its most visible athletics accomplishment.
"It was a pretty special feeling," said guard Ridge Shipley, a freshman who appeared in all 34 games that season. "As a basketball player, you can be a harsh critic and not always enjoy where you are in the moment. So knowing I can always look back and know we achieved something great is a rewarding feeling."
Valleys and Peaks
"The expectations were always to win a Big West championship," said guard Jamal Johnson (right), a senior in 2014 who graduated as the program's all-time appearances leader with 128 games played. "For those that were part of the teams who were successful in previous seasons, I believe the precedent and culture was set."
Cal Poly was a program on the rise within the Big West by the summer of 2013, finishing in the top four of the standings during each of the previous two seasons to match back-to-back conference tournament semifinal appearances. On Nov. 25, 2012, Cal Poly – trailing No. 11 UCLA by 18 points with 12 minutes remaining – rallied on national television to stun a Bruins squad with seven future NBA players, 70-68. The Mustangs finished the 2012-13 season with 18 wins, a 13-1 home record and made the program's first Division I postseason appearance after being selected for the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
"We had genuine expectations of finally taking that last step toward finishing the job," said Eversley, now the CEO of Overtime Solutions, a company aimed at helping athletes transition into life after sports. "Up to that point, we not only had great teams, but exceptional leadership in guys like Will Taylor, Dylan Royer, Amaurys Fermin, Drake U'u, David Hanson, Will Donahue, Matt Titchenal, Chris O'Brien, Jordan Lewis and Shawn Lewis. We all knew winning the Big West Tournament would be a testament to all the senior classes that had, essentially, raised us and paved the path. A win for our team was a win for those before us."
Knocked out of the 2013 Big West Tournament in the semifinals on a Pacific last-second shot, Cal Poly's winning momentum snowballed into the 2013-14 season. Opening the year at No. 5 Arizona, still the highest ranked opponent in program history, Cal Poly trailed by three at halftime before sustaining a 73-62 setback in front of more than 13,000 fans. The Mustangs, perennially amongst the national leaders in fewest turnovers per game, faced four more programs that qualified for that year's NCAA Tournament in Oregon, Pitt, Stanford and Delaware.
Cal Poly handed Hawai'i a 77-65 loss to open Big West play before defeating UC Santa Barbara on the road for the first time in seven years and Cal State Northridge by double digits at home. A one-point home loss to Long Beach State followed, but Cal Poly's 4-1 record after three weeks marked its best beginning to a Big West season.
The stellar start, however, quickly unraveled. A 61-58 loss at UC Riverside on Jan. 25 began a four-game slide. The Mustangs defeated CSUN at home on Feb. 13 before dropping the next two and closing the regular season with just one victory in the final six outings.
The spiral concluded with a 71-55 home loss to UC Santa Barbara inside a sold-out Mott Athletics Center. Prevailing just twice during the final 43 days of the regular season, Cal Poly dropped from second place in the Big West standings to the seventh seed for the conference tournament.
"Any season will have valleys and peaks. Some of those valleys and peaks are more extreme than others," Eversley said. "Looking back, we had some tough games – a good amount were single-digit losses. We knew that, although the losses were stacking up, we were in a position to win most of them down the stretch but couldn't get the key stop or bucket. This didn't serve as a negative for us, but rather confirmation that we could have been winning if we focused on the little things."
Facing its lowest Big West Tournament seed in 10 years, Cal Poly – in five days' time – would meet the Gauchos once more to open the postseason.
"For 72 Hours, I was Present …"
"Anyone who's ever worn the green and gold knows those Santa Barbara games give you the most adrenaline," Eversley said. "While we would be at a neutral site, we knew what had to be done to make up for our last showing in Mott."
What had been a straightforward decision for UC Santa Barbara to close the regular season was anything but in Anaheim. UC Santa Barbara led 12-7 after six minutes before Cal Poly produced a 15-0 run that saw the Mustangs stay ahead for good. The Mustangs closed the opening half with a 12-3 run and led 41-20 at the break. A 69-38 victory marked a 47-point reversal from five days prior and the lowest point output in a Big West Tournament game in 13 years.
Cal Poly's March 14 semifinal against UC Irvine was much more closely contested. The Mustangs led by 10 points with 16 minutes remaining and 61-55 into the final minute before UC Irvine guard Alex Young knocked down a three-pointer. The Anteaters, however, missed their next two attempts, including a potential game tying three-pointer with six seconds to play. On the ensuing inbounds pass, Eversley was charged with a travel after catching the ball in the air, making contact with guard Dominique Dunning on the way down and slipping on the court. At the buzzer, UC Irvine guard Luke Nelson's three-pointer fell short as Cal Poly became the lowest seed in Big West history to eliminate both the No. 1 and 2 seeds.
Returning to the Big West Tournament title game for the first time in seven years and third time overall, Cal Poly would face fifth-seeded CSUN, itself having ousted No. 4 Hawai'i and No. 3 Long Beach State en route to the championship.
Cal Poly fans filled the Honda Center for the final, but the Mustangs faced their stiffest test to date, trailing CSUN 59-57 in the final minute before Matadors guard Josh Greene missed a three-point attempt.
On the next possession, Eversley received a pass from sophomore forward Zach Gordon, drove the lane and, with the route blocked, he turned and found a wide-open Shipley at the top of the arc.
"I'm not surprised because I prepared my whole life for that moment," said Shipley (left, forefront in right image), who sank 144 three-pointers for Cal Poly from 2013-17, though none more important than the one that provided Cal Poly the title-winning advantage. "Less than a year earlier, I missed the biggest shot in my high school career to send my team to the state final four for the first time in school history."
With 14 seconds to go, Cal Poly led, 60-59. CSUN's ensuing possession resulted in an offensive foul, forward Tre Hale-Edmerson called for driving into Gordon. With CSUN now forced to foul, fifth-year senior guard Kyle Odister – who hit the decisive free throws in Cal Poly's 2012 upset of UCLA – sank his first attempt.
Odister though, missed the second. CSUN rebounded, but was unable to get off a last-second shot.
"As soon as that horn went off and we saw the missed shot, pandemonium set in," said Eversley, with the Mustangs immediately mobbed as hundreds of supporters flooded onto the court. "Being in the midst of the student section, surrounded by the guys who committed to this vision somewhere between one and four years ago, made it all worth it.
"We knew the job wasn't finished until we were cutting down the nets. You see college games where the student section storms the court after an upset. None of us had ever been a part of that."
Amidst the on-court celebrations, Eversley was hoisted onto shoulders (right). Countless hugs and phone calls were exchanged. Tears flowed, emotions rising with years of hard work having paid off. Former Mustang players celebrated with current ones. Cal Poly briefly trended on Twitter.
The celebration spilled into the trophy presentation, the medal ceremony and the cutting down of the net.
Johnson, four years and 126 games into his Cal Poly career, refused to let go of the Big West trophy, eventually taking his hardware into the championship press conference and sitting amongst reporters.
"For 72 hours, I was present in the moment. Time became obsolete and my mental sharpness was locked in," said Johnson, currently a peace officer in his native San Antonio and pursuing a law degree. "Holding the trophy for the first time was emotional. For me it was the culmination of everything I've done in my basketball career to that point."
"It was like Living in a Childhood Dream"
Arriving back on campus during the early hours of Sunday, March 16, the Mustangs were greeted by students outside Mott Athletics Center.
Twelve hours later, the Mustangs – along with a few hundred supporters at a downtown watch party – saw their name called for the first time on the NCAA Tournament Selection Show. The first matchup unveiled in the Midwest Regional featured Wichita State – the first program in 23 years to enter the NCAA Tournament undefeated – facing the winner of the Wednesday, March 19 First Four matchup between Cal Poly and SWAC champion Texas Southern.
As the whirlwind continued, Cal Poly boarded a charter flight the next morning bound for Dayton, Ohio. Tuesday, March 18 dawned with a press conference (right) at the University of Dayton Arena before practice. There was little downtime for the players, however, because the Cal Poly campus – on the quarter system – was in the midst of finals week.
With President Barack Obama selecting Cal Poly on his bracket, the Mustangs – playing the program's first NCAA tournament game since the 1986 Division II West Regional – shot 54.5 percent in the first half against Texas Southern to take a 44-32 lead into the break.
With guard Reese Morgan – sidelined a majority of the season through injury before working his way back for the postseason – contributing timely three-pointers, Cal Poly led by as much as 16 in the second half. Texas Southern center Aaric Murray scored 38 points – a First Four record – and the Tigers twice clawed back to eight-point deficits in the second half, but Cal Poly produced the 81-69 victory to become the first Big West program in nine years with an NCAA Tournament win. Improving to 14-19 with the victory, Cal Poly became the first program to win an NCAA Tournament game with as many as 19 losses since Bradley in 1955.
First Four celebrations were shorter. Mission accomplished, the Mustangs were due on a midnight flight to St. Louis, the NCAA Tournament second round inside the Scottrade Center and a date with the 34-0 Wichita State Shockers.
"It was like living in a childhood dream," said Shipley, now residing in his native Texas and the owner of Ridges Rhythm, a basketball skill development company. "I sacrificed so much for the love of the game. I knew it was going to pay off and I'll never forget those moments. It made me feel like all the hard work that I put in actually meant something."
"Surreal"
The First Four victory (right), arriving less than a week after the program began its dramatic Big West Tournament title run, pushed Cal Poly further into the national spotlight. The Mustangs were a lead item on SportsCenter, ESPN.com and a slew of other sports news agencies. They were a topic of discussion on sports debate and opinion shows and, among many publications, featured in USA Today ("Cal Poly to Take Puncher's Chance against Wichita State"). Head coach Joe Callero was requested on The Jim Rome Show, the highest-syndicated sports talk program in America.
"Surreal. We would get some media coverage (prior to Big West play) due to our usually stacked schedule (against nationally-ranked opponents) … but never like this," said Eversley, who had the opportunity to rub shoulders with the likes of NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller – the First Four color commentator. "The best part about the experience was being able to fully experience life as a high-level college basketball player. You have access to the best travel options and media outlets and the opportunity to shine the light on our small central coast hidden gem of San Luis Obispo. More than just what the run did for the program, I really loved how much it did for the university and town."
The Mustangs had just one day to prepare for Wichita State, utilizing Thursday's open practice to fine tune, bidding to become the first No. 16 seed in 117 opportunities to knock off a No. 1 seed. CBS's lead broadcast team of Jim Nantz and Greg Anthony took notes, interviewed Eversley and Johnson and prepared storylines for Friday's primetime broadcast.
End of the Road
Defying the odds for a week, Cal Poly's historic run would come to an end on Friday, March 21 (right. Playing their fifth game in nine days in a third different time zone and with a pregame locker room speech from former Mustang shortstop and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, Cal Poly took the opening lead against Wichita State with Eversley sinking a three-pointer after 71 seconds.
Stunning the Shockers, however, would be a bridge too far. Featuring players such as future NBA champion Fred VanVleet, Wichita State – enjoying a 10-break after winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title – responded with a 21-2 run, led by 19 points at halftime and finished with a 64-37 victory. With the result, Wichita State became the first Division I program in college basketball history to begin a season 35-0.
Greeted with applause that evening at the team hotel by friends, families and fans, Cal Poly departed St. Louis the following afternoon for San Luis Obispo.
Eversley, Johnson and Odister graduated that spring, degrees earned alongside championship rings. Seven Mustangs from the 2013-14 team eventually signed professional contracts. Among the group, guard David Nwaba became Cal Poly's first NBA player when debuting for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017 (Nwaba recently extended his pro career with the London Lions of the British Basketball League). Forward Joel Awich, a freshman in 2013-14, still competes in France. Odister added a British Basketball League title to his Big West medal in 2016 as part of the Sheffield Sharks while Eversley played for five years with clubs in Europe and Asia.
"I think every time I return to San Luis Obispo, I'm reminded of how special that year was," Johnson said. "With a photo still hanging in the university union and a jersey downtown at Firestone. It just shows the amount of respect and love the city still shows for that particular team."
SAN LUIS OBISPO – An extremely sparse collection of fans and staff filed into Anaheim's Honda Center on the morning of Thursday, March 13, 2014. The opening game of the Big West Tournament matched seventh-seeded Cal Poly against No. 2 UC Santa Barbara – an opponent that finished six games higher in the Big West standings and had defeated the Mustangs by 16 points just five days prior on their home court in the senior night, regular season finale.The Mustangs prevailed. By 31 points. Eight days later, Cal Poly found itself squaring off with top-seeded and top-ranked Wichita State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, meeting the 34-0 Shockers in a primetime matchup on CBS.
"It's still an extremely meaningful event that gets brought up quite frequently in friend circles when I visit San Luis Obispo," said forward Chris Eversley, a senior that season. "(The players have) all gone in different directions but will forever be tied to a glimpse of greatness together in San Luis Obispo. That's the true beauty of sport and what it can do for student-athletes and coaches who commit to one another to achieve something great that will last a lifetime. My hope for teams of the present and future is that they also get to experience something this memorable in their lives."
On Saturday, Feb. 3, during the program's 3 p.m. matchup with UC Davis, Cal Poly will celebrate the accomplishments of its historic 2013-14 team, welcoming back the players who provided the University with its most visible athletics accomplishment.
"It was a pretty special feeling," said guard Ridge Shipley, a freshman who appeared in all 34 games that season. "As a basketball player, you can be a harsh critic and not always enjoy where you are in the moment. So knowing I can always look back and know we achieved something great is a rewarding feeling."
Valleys and Peaks"The expectations were always to win a Big West championship," said guard Jamal Johnson (right), a senior in 2014 who graduated as the program's all-time appearances leader with 128 games played. "For those that were part of the teams who were successful in previous seasons, I believe the precedent and culture was set."
Cal Poly was a program on the rise within the Big West by the summer of 2013, finishing in the top four of the standings during each of the previous two seasons to match back-to-back conference tournament semifinal appearances. On Nov. 25, 2012, Cal Poly – trailing No. 11 UCLA by 18 points with 12 minutes remaining – rallied on national television to stun a Bruins squad with seven future NBA players, 70-68. The Mustangs finished the 2012-13 season with 18 wins, a 13-1 home record and made the program's first Division I postseason appearance after being selected for the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
"We had genuine expectations of finally taking that last step toward finishing the job," said Eversley, now the CEO of Overtime Solutions, a company aimed at helping athletes transition into life after sports. "Up to that point, we not only had great teams, but exceptional leadership in guys like Will Taylor, Dylan Royer, Amaurys Fermin, Drake U'u, David Hanson, Will Donahue, Matt Titchenal, Chris O'Brien, Jordan Lewis and Shawn Lewis. We all knew winning the Big West Tournament would be a testament to all the senior classes that had, essentially, raised us and paved the path. A win for our team was a win for those before us."
Knocked out of the 2013 Big West Tournament in the semifinals on a Pacific last-second shot, Cal Poly's winning momentum snowballed into the 2013-14 season. Opening the year at No. 5 Arizona, still the highest ranked opponent in program history, Cal Poly trailed by three at halftime before sustaining a 73-62 setback in front of more than 13,000 fans. The Mustangs, perennially amongst the national leaders in fewest turnovers per game, faced four more programs that qualified for that year's NCAA Tournament in Oregon, Pitt, Stanford and Delaware.
Cal Poly handed Hawai'i a 77-65 loss to open Big West play before defeating UC Santa Barbara on the road for the first time in seven years and Cal State Northridge by double digits at home. A one-point home loss to Long Beach State followed, but Cal Poly's 4-1 record after three weeks marked its best beginning to a Big West season.
The stellar start, however, quickly unraveled. A 61-58 loss at UC Riverside on Jan. 25 began a four-game slide. The Mustangs defeated CSUN at home on Feb. 13 before dropping the next two and closing the regular season with just one victory in the final six outings.
The spiral concluded with a 71-55 home loss to UC Santa Barbara inside a sold-out Mott Athletics Center. Prevailing just twice during the final 43 days of the regular season, Cal Poly dropped from second place in the Big West standings to the seventh seed for the conference tournament.
"Any season will have valleys and peaks. Some of those valleys and peaks are more extreme than others," Eversley said. "Looking back, we had some tough games – a good amount were single-digit losses. We knew that, although the losses were stacking up, we were in a position to win most of them down the stretch but couldn't get the key stop or bucket. This didn't serve as a negative for us, but rather confirmation that we could have been winning if we focused on the little things."
Facing its lowest Big West Tournament seed in 10 years, Cal Poly – in five days' time – would meet the Gauchos once more to open the postseason.
"For 72 Hours, I was Present …""Anyone who's ever worn the green and gold knows those Santa Barbara games give you the most adrenaline," Eversley said. "While we would be at a neutral site, we knew what had to be done to make up for our last showing in Mott."
What had been a straightforward decision for UC Santa Barbara to close the regular season was anything but in Anaheim. UC Santa Barbara led 12-7 after six minutes before Cal Poly produced a 15-0 run that saw the Mustangs stay ahead for good. The Mustangs closed the opening half with a 12-3 run and led 41-20 at the break. A 69-38 victory marked a 47-point reversal from five days prior and the lowest point output in a Big West Tournament game in 13 years.
Cal Poly's March 14 semifinal against UC Irvine was much more closely contested. The Mustangs led by 10 points with 16 minutes remaining and 61-55 into the final minute before UC Irvine guard Alex Young knocked down a three-pointer. The Anteaters, however, missed their next two attempts, including a potential game tying three-pointer with six seconds to play. On the ensuing inbounds pass, Eversley was charged with a travel after catching the ball in the air, making contact with guard Dominique Dunning on the way down and slipping on the court. At the buzzer, UC Irvine guard Luke Nelson's three-pointer fell short as Cal Poly became the lowest seed in Big West history to eliminate both the No. 1 and 2 seeds.
Returning to the Big West Tournament title game for the first time in seven years and third time overall, Cal Poly would face fifth-seeded CSUN, itself having ousted No. 4 Hawai'i and No. 3 Long Beach State en route to the championship.
Cal Poly fans filled the Honda Center for the final, but the Mustangs faced their stiffest test to date, trailing CSUN 59-57 in the final minute before Matadors guard Josh Greene missed a three-point attempt.
On the next possession, Eversley received a pass from sophomore forward Zach Gordon, drove the lane and, with the route blocked, he turned and found a wide-open Shipley at the top of the arc.
"I'm not surprised because I prepared my whole life for that moment," said Shipley (left, forefront in right image), who sank 144 three-pointers for Cal Poly from 2013-17, though none more important than the one that provided Cal Poly the title-winning advantage. "Less than a year earlier, I missed the biggest shot in my high school career to send my team to the state final four for the first time in school history."With 14 seconds to go, Cal Poly led, 60-59. CSUN's ensuing possession resulted in an offensive foul, forward Tre Hale-Edmerson called for driving into Gordon. With CSUN now forced to foul, fifth-year senior guard Kyle Odister – who hit the decisive free throws in Cal Poly's 2012 upset of UCLA – sank his first attempt.
Odister though, missed the second. CSUN rebounded, but was unable to get off a last-second shot.
"As soon as that horn went off and we saw the missed shot, pandemonium set in," said Eversley, with the Mustangs immediately mobbed as hundreds of supporters flooded onto the court. "Being in the midst of the student section, surrounded by the guys who committed to this vision somewhere between one and four years ago, made it all worth it.
"We knew the job wasn't finished until we were cutting down the nets. You see college games where the student section storms the court after an upset. None of us had ever been a part of that."
Amidst the on-court celebrations, Eversley was hoisted onto shoulders (right). Countless hugs and phone calls were exchanged. Tears flowed, emotions rising with years of hard work having paid off. Former Mustang players celebrated with current ones. Cal Poly briefly trended on Twitter.The celebration spilled into the trophy presentation, the medal ceremony and the cutting down of the net.
Johnson, four years and 126 games into his Cal Poly career, refused to let go of the Big West trophy, eventually taking his hardware into the championship press conference and sitting amongst reporters.
"For 72 hours, I was present in the moment. Time became obsolete and my mental sharpness was locked in," said Johnson, currently a peace officer in his native San Antonio and pursuing a law degree. "Holding the trophy for the first time was emotional. For me it was the culmination of everything I've done in my basketball career to that point."
"It was like Living in a Childhood Dream"
Arriving back on campus during the early hours of Sunday, March 16, the Mustangs were greeted by students outside Mott Athletics Center.
Twelve hours later, the Mustangs – along with a few hundred supporters at a downtown watch party – saw their name called for the first time on the NCAA Tournament Selection Show. The first matchup unveiled in the Midwest Regional featured Wichita State – the first program in 23 years to enter the NCAA Tournament undefeated – facing the winner of the Wednesday, March 19 First Four matchup between Cal Poly and SWAC champion Texas Southern.
As the whirlwind continued, Cal Poly boarded a charter flight the next morning bound for Dayton, Ohio. Tuesday, March 18 dawned with a press conference (right) at the University of Dayton Arena before practice. There was little downtime for the players, however, because the Cal Poly campus – on the quarter system – was in the midst of finals week.With President Barack Obama selecting Cal Poly on his bracket, the Mustangs – playing the program's first NCAA tournament game since the 1986 Division II West Regional – shot 54.5 percent in the first half against Texas Southern to take a 44-32 lead into the break.
With guard Reese Morgan – sidelined a majority of the season through injury before working his way back for the postseason – contributing timely three-pointers, Cal Poly led by as much as 16 in the second half. Texas Southern center Aaric Murray scored 38 points – a First Four record – and the Tigers twice clawed back to eight-point deficits in the second half, but Cal Poly produced the 81-69 victory to become the first Big West program in nine years with an NCAA Tournament win. Improving to 14-19 with the victory, Cal Poly became the first program to win an NCAA Tournament game with as many as 19 losses since Bradley in 1955.
First Four celebrations were shorter. Mission accomplished, the Mustangs were due on a midnight flight to St. Louis, the NCAA Tournament second round inside the Scottrade Center and a date with the 34-0 Wichita State Shockers."It was like living in a childhood dream," said Shipley, now residing in his native Texas and the owner of Ridges Rhythm, a basketball skill development company. "I sacrificed so much for the love of the game. I knew it was going to pay off and I'll never forget those moments. It made me feel like all the hard work that I put in actually meant something."
"Surreal"
The First Four victory (right), arriving less than a week after the program began its dramatic Big West Tournament title run, pushed Cal Poly further into the national spotlight. The Mustangs were a lead item on SportsCenter, ESPN.com and a slew of other sports news agencies. They were a topic of discussion on sports debate and opinion shows and, among many publications, featured in USA Today ("Cal Poly to Take Puncher's Chance against Wichita State"). Head coach Joe Callero was requested on The Jim Rome Show, the highest-syndicated sports talk program in America.
"Surreal. We would get some media coverage (prior to Big West play) due to our usually stacked schedule (against nationally-ranked opponents) … but never like this," said Eversley, who had the opportunity to rub shoulders with the likes of NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller – the First Four color commentator. "The best part about the experience was being able to fully experience life as a high-level college basketball player. You have access to the best travel options and media outlets and the opportunity to shine the light on our small central coast hidden gem of San Luis Obispo. More than just what the run did for the program, I really loved how much it did for the university and town."
The Mustangs had just one day to prepare for Wichita State, utilizing Thursday's open practice to fine tune, bidding to become the first No. 16 seed in 117 opportunities to knock off a No. 1 seed. CBS's lead broadcast team of Jim Nantz and Greg Anthony took notes, interviewed Eversley and Johnson and prepared storylines for Friday's primetime broadcast.
End of the RoadDefying the odds for a week, Cal Poly's historic run would come to an end on Friday, March 21 (right. Playing their fifth game in nine days in a third different time zone and with a pregame locker room speech from former Mustang shortstop and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, Cal Poly took the opening lead against Wichita State with Eversley sinking a three-pointer after 71 seconds.
Stunning the Shockers, however, would be a bridge too far. Featuring players such as future NBA champion Fred VanVleet, Wichita State – enjoying a 10-break after winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title – responded with a 21-2 run, led by 19 points at halftime and finished with a 64-37 victory. With the result, Wichita State became the first Division I program in college basketball history to begin a season 35-0.
Greeted with applause that evening at the team hotel by friends, families and fans, Cal Poly departed St. Louis the following afternoon for San Luis Obispo.
Eversley, Johnson and Odister graduated that spring, degrees earned alongside championship rings. Seven Mustangs from the 2013-14 team eventually signed professional contracts. Among the group, guard David Nwaba became Cal Poly's first NBA player when debuting for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017 (Nwaba recently extended his pro career with the London Lions of the British Basketball League). Forward Joel Awich, a freshman in 2013-14, still competes in France. Odister added a British Basketball League title to his Big West medal in 2016 as part of the Sheffield Sharks while Eversley played for five years with clubs in Europe and Asia.
"I think every time I return to San Luis Obispo, I'm reminded of how special that year was," Johnson said. "With a photo still hanging in the university union and a jersey downtown at Firestone. It just shows the amount of respect and love the city still shows for that particular team."
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