Mustangs Pull Away from Cal State Bakersfield for 90-81 Road Win

Thursday, January 30

Bakersfield, CA

6:30 p.m.

8-14,2-8Big West

Cal State Bakersfield

10-12,4-6Big West

Cal Poly

CSU Bakersfield

Mustangs Pull Away from Cal State Bakersfield for 90-81 Road Win

1/30/2025 9:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

BAKERSFIELD – Graduate guard Owen Koonce (above) led the Cal Poly men's basketball program with 28 points Thursday evening as the Mustangs earned their second successive Big West victory with a 90-81 decision against Cal State Bakersfield inside the Icardo Center.

Graduate guard Mac Riniker added 14 points for Cal Poly (8-14, 2-8), which shot 53.6 (30-for-56) percent from the floor and trailed just once – for 60 seconds during the first half. With freshman guard Peter Bandelj finishing with 11 points, Cal Poly outscored Cal State Bakersfield in the paint, 44-22.

Making his first start of the season, junior forward Aaron Price Jr., scored 10 points alongside graduate guard Jarred Hyder.

Finishing 10-for-14 from the floor and 4-for-5 from three-point range, Koonce's 28-point performance was four shy of his career best.

Cal Poly completes a two-game road trip Saturday, Feb. 1 at UC Riverside. Tip time from SRC Arena is 5 p.m. on ESPN+.

The Mustangs started Thursday's matchup 7-for-9 from the floor and with an early 19-12 lead before Cal State Bakersfield responded with a 12-2 run to go up 24-21 with 12 minutes remaining in the half. Senior guard Isaac Jessup, however, stemmed the run with a three-pointer and Koonce and freshman guard Guzman Vasilic followed with layups to place Cal Poly back in front. Koonce then added a three-pointer before a Riniker layup handed Cal Poly a 33-24 advantage with six-and-a-half minutes to play.

Shooting 59.3 (16-for-27) percent during the first half, Cal Poly led by as much as 11 before taking a 45-37 edge into the locker room.

Held to a 41.9 (13-for-31) percent first-half field goal mark, Cal State Bakersfield (10-12, 4-6) received a jumper from guard Jemel Jones before fellow guard Marvin McGhee III sank a three-pointer to cut the host's gap to three points.

Opening the second half 4-for-6 from the floor, however, Cal Poly scored during its next seven possessions to stretch the lead to 57-44 with 16 minutes to play.

Five minutes later, Koonce converted two free throw attempts before draining his third three-pointer of the evening for a 70-52 Cal Poly lead.