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Mustangs Open Regular Season with Dominant Win Over UC Santa Cruz
11/3/2025 9:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly women’s basketball got its 2025-26 season off to a strong start Monday night, dominating Division III UC Santa Cruz at home, 87-27.
Five Mustangs scored in double figures, led by sophomore Vanessa McManus’ career-high 24 points on 10-15 shooting. She also added eight rebounds and three assists. Sophomores Nora Perez, Gillian Bears, and Ana Moleon Hidalgo finished with 14, 12, and 11 points respectively. Freshman Charish Thompson scored 10 points in her Cal Poly regular season debut.
Cal Poly’s defense strangled the Banana Slugs all night, forcing them into 38 turnovers which the Mustangs turned into 46 points. Cal Poly also didn’t allow UC Santa Cruz to score more than nine points in any quarter, including outscoring them 51-12 in the second half.
The Mustangs opened the game by getting out to a 15-0 lead as the Banana Slugs didn’t score the first six minutes of the first quarter. Cal Poly led the entire game from start to finish.
Cal Poly shot nearly 50 percent from the field as a team as they mostly got their points going to the basket. Only taking 11 threes, the Mustangs scored 64 of their points inside the paint.
Cal Poly will be in action next on Sunday, Nov. 9 when they travel up north to face Stanford for a 1 p.m. tip. The game will be streamed on ACCN+.
