UC Santa Barbara
Mustangs Visit Rival UCSB Thursday, Host Cal State Fullerton Saturday
1/21/2026 1:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SAN LUIS OBISPO – The Cal Poly men’s basketball program resides just one game behind rival and third-place UC Santa Barbara in the Big West standings as the Mustangs visit the Gauchos Thursday, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. Cal Poly then closes the week by hosting Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 4 p.m. Featuring three of the Big West’s top 10 scorers, Cal Poly (7-12, 3-4) enters the week in eighth place – but just two games behind joint Big West leaders Hawai’i (13-4, 5-2) and UC Irvine (12-7, 5-2). UC Santa Barbara, the Big West leader and ranked 22nd nationally with a 37.9 percent three-point mark, shares third place alongside UC San Diego, UC Davis and Long Beach State. Meanwhile, Cal State Fullerton (8-12, 3-5) – just one-half game behind Cal Poly in the Big West standings – leads the conference and ranks 40th in Division I at 85.1 points per game.
CAL POLY VERSUS UC SANTA BARBARA: The most frequent opponent in Cal Poly program history, UC Santa Barbara has won 16 straight matchups versus the Mustangs. Cal Poly’s last series win occurred Jan. 4, 2018 with the Mustangs overturning a 21-2 first-half deficit to prevail at home, 80-79. Cal Poly’s last win at UC Santa Barbara was a 72-64 decision (Jan. 11, 2014). The Gauchos lead both the all-time (86-35) and Division I (52-14) series since the first meeting between the two sides on Jan. 10, 1947.
CAL POLY VERSUS CAL STATE FULLERTON: The Mustangs have now won three straight against the Titans following a 94-91 road win on Dec. 4. Cal Poly leads the all-time series (42-39) while Cal State Fullerton tops the Division I (31-27) series.
LONG-RANGE GAME: Cal Poly has once more emerged as one of the nation’s top three-point shooting threats with the Mustangs ranked 10th among 361 NCAA Division I programs with 32.4 attempts per game, 14th with 206 total three-pointers and 17th with 10.8 three-pointers made per game. The Mustangs have knocked down multiple three-pointers in 12 of 19 matchups, topping out with 18 – three shy of the program single game record – during a 94-91 victory at Cal State Fullerton (Dec. 4). Individually, guard Hamad Mousa ranks 40th nationally with 55 total three-pointers and 74th with a 38.5 (55-for-143) percent mark. Fellow sophomore Peter Bandelj, meanwhile, is fourth among Big West players and 41st nationally with a 41.0 (41-for-100) percent figure.
JMO been bringing the energy to Mott! ????#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/Fr2AdSUDnf
— Cal Poly Men’s Basketball (@calpolymbb) January 17, 2026
MOUSA’S MOMENT: A double-digit scorer in all 18 appearances, sophomore guard Hamad Mousa – who finished with 26 total points in 20 games at Dayton last season – leads the Big West and ranks 11th among NCAA Division I players at 21.6 points per game. He’s also 16th nationally with 111 free throws and 40th with 55 total three-pointers. Mousa’s latest highlight scoring endeavor was a career best 34-point performance at CSUN (Jan. 8) while also recording 33 against Idaho (Dec. 21) and 31 versus UC Riverside (Dec. 6). Mousa’s 25.4 point-per-game average in seven Big West games is 3.5 points higher than the second place scorer. One of just two players from Qatar in Division I this season, Mousa also ranks seventh among Big West players with an 85.4 (111-for-130) percent free throw mark and sixth with 6.3 rebounds per game.
WARD’S SUPERIOR SOPHOMORE EFFORT: Cal Poly’s co-leading shooter at 44.6 (90-for-202) percent, sophomore guard Cayden Ward – behind 15 double-digit scoring efforts – enters Thursday’s matchup at UC Santa Barbara second in the lineup and eighth among Big West players at 15.0 points per game. Earning Big West Player of the Week praise following a career high 28-point effort at Utah (Nov. 20), Ward – who averaged 7.4 points per game as a freshman – also owns a 25-point night against Montana State (Dec. 16).
BANDELJ UPS THE SCORING PACE: Cal Poly’s leading returning scorer from last season, sophomore guard Peter Bandelj enters Thursday’s game at UC Santa Barbara third in the lineup and 10th among Big West players at 14.8 points per game following a career high 37-point effort at Cal State Fullerton (Dec. 4). A double-digit scorer in all but three appearances, Bandelj ranks fourth among Big West players and 41st nationally with a 41.0 (41-for-100) percent three-point mark after sinking a program record nine at Cal State Fullerton. Also eighth among Big West players with an 85.1 (63-for-74) percent free throw mark, Bandelj – through 53 collegiate appearances – is averaging 11.9 career points per game.
Rivalry week! Cal Poly visits UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, Jan. 22 (6 p.m.) before hosting Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Jan. 24 (4 p.m.).#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/DBuuaM31ds
— Cal Poly Men’s Basketball (@calpolymbb) January 19, 2026
UNITED NATIONS: Cal Poly’s 2025-26 roster features players from nine different countries – a figure eclipsed by only UT Martin (13). Cal Poly, however, is the only Division I program this year with a roster that canvasses all six habitable continents/regions.
CLOSED PORTAL DOORS: Alongside Duke, Tennessee, American and Boston University, Cal Poly was just one of just five Division I programs not to lose a player to the transfer portal during the offseason.
SANDERS DEBUT MAKES NBA MUSTANGS TWO: Cal Poly saw a second Mustang alum make his NBA debut on Oct. 22 when guard Kobe Sanders (2020-24) – drafted 50th overall by the New York Knicks in June before being traded to the Clippers – appeared for Los Angeles. Cal Poly’s first and only NBA Draft selection since 1978, Sanders joined guard David Nwaba (2013-16) – who appeared for the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago, Cleveland, Brooklyn and Houston between 2017 and 2022 – as the only former Mustangs to play in the NBA.
ETC.: The Mustangs are in their 32nd Division I season and 82nd as a four-year program … Cal Poly’s Nov. 3 season opener at USC marked the earliest start date in program history … Cal Poly’s 92-85 victory at Utah (Nov. 20) marked the program’s first and only win against a current Big 12 program since defeating Arizona State on Dec. 2, 1949 … Cal Poly’s Nov. 25 matchup with Southeast Missouri marked the first all-time matchup between the two programs … the Mustangs improved to 51-1 against non-Division I opposition with an 87-81 home victory against Division III Redlands on Nov. 29 (Cal Poly transitioned to the Division I level prior to the 1994-95 season) … Peter Bandelj’s nine three-pointers at Cal State Fullerton (Dec. 4) set a new program record, surpassing the previous mark of eight by four different Mustangs and last accomplished by graduate guard Jarred Hyder (Dec. 17, 2024) … Cal Poly’s 95.5 (21-for-22) percent free throw performance at UCLA (21-for-22) marked the third highest single game figure in program history and the highest total with one miss.
