The Cal Poly women’s basketball team lost a close game to UC Riverside on Saturday at Mott Athletics Center, with a final score of 70-66.
Freshman Charish Thompson led the Mustangs with 20 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Vanessa McManus contributed 19 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, and added three steals. The Mustangs, now holding a record of 3-18 overall and 1-10 in Big West play, managed to reduce a fourth-quarter deficit of 13 points to just two before time expired.
UC Riverside improved to 7-14 overall and 5-6 in conference play. The Highlanders were led by Hannah Wickstrom, who scored 24 points. Three UC Riverside players finished in double figures. As a team, the Highlanders shot 47 percent from the field and nearly 30 percent from beyond the arc.
UC Riverside began the game with a seven-point run before Cal Poly narrowed the gap to trail by three at the end of the first quarter. The Highlanders opened the second quarter with another strong run, eventually leading by nine at halftime. In the third quarter, both teams played evenly, but UC Riverside maintained their lead heading into the final period.
Cal Poly trailed by as many as 13 points late in the fourth quarter but responded with a series of runs that brought them within striking distance. With under five minutes remaining, they used a 10-2 run to cut into UC Riverside’s lead. A late three-pointer from McManus brought Cal Poly within two points with only three seconds left on the clock. However, UC Riverside secured their win by making two free throws in the closing moments.
The Mustangs will travel for their next game on Thursday, February 5 at 6 p.m., which will be broadcast on ESPN+.
