3-22,1-14Big West
UCSB
17-7,9-6Big West
Mustangs Close but Come Up Just Short to UCSB Saturday
2/14/2026 5:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Nine different Mustang players scored, but the Cal Poly women’s basketball team lost a close game that game down to the final minute to rival UC Santa Barbara on the road Saturday, 63-54.
Freshman forward Charish Thompson led the Mustangs with 11 points, her fifth straight double digit scoring game. Junior guard Arissa Garcia added nine points while sophomore guard Vanessa McManus finished with eight points and six rebounds.
The Mustangs did a good job protecting the ball, committing a season low eight turnovers for the game. However, UCSB outshot the Mustangs 40 percent to 37 percent, including making five more threes.
UCSB led by five after the first quarter. In the second, the Gauchos slowly pushed their lead a bit more in the second quarter, finishing the half on an 8-0 run to lead 36-22 at halftime.
After being down by as many as 16 in the third quarter, Cal Poly began to rally back. The Mustangs were able to get it down to nine heading into the fourth quarter. Down 52-43 with just over four minutes left, Cal Poly scored six straight points over the next two minutes to get back within three. However, the Mustangs were oustscored by the Gauchos over the final 90 seconds 8-3.
Cal Poly will return home next week to host Hawai’i Thursday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. inside Mott Athletics Center.
JB for 3!#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/YsPgHmJChP
— Cal Poly WBB (@CalPolyWBB) February 14, 2026
