The Cal Poly Mustangs men’s basketball team was eliminated from the Big West Championship after a narrow 72-69 loss to UC San Diego on March 11. The game, held at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada, saw the eighth-seeded Mustangs fall to the fifth-seeded Tritons in a contest marked by seven second-half lead changes and a close score throughout the final minutes.
The outcome means Cal Poly ends its season with a record of 14-19. Hamad Mousa led the Mustangs with 21 points, capping off an impressive offensive season. Mousa set a new single-season free throw record for Cal Poly with his 179th conversion and finished just six points shy of the program’s all-time single-season scoring record. Cayden Ward contributed 13 points and narrowly missed recording his fourth career double-double.
The Mustangs built an early lead, going up by as much as 11 points in the first half and leading 35-26 at halftime. However, UC San Diego responded strongly in the second half, shooting over 53 percent from the field and taking control late in the game. A three-point play by Bol Dengdit put UC San Diego ahead for good with just over a minute remaining. Despite late baskets from Mousa that kept Cal Poly within reach, UC San Diego secured victory with key free throws and a final dunk.
Cal Poly set several records during this season, including achieving a program-best free throw percentage of 78.7 percent and matching last year’s squad for the second-highest scoring average in school history at 82.1 points per game. Mousa also ranked among program leaders in several statistical categories for single seasons.
This matchup marked the first time Cal Poly faced UC San Diego at the Big West Championship tournament. With this result, Cal Poly’s all-time record in Big West Championship appearances stands at 14-20 overall and 10-11 in tournament-opening games.
