MEN’S BASKETBALL WRAPS UP NON-CONFERENCE PLAY WITH LOSS AT CAL POLY

1/16/2007

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Four Mustangs scored in double figures, led by Tyler McGinn and Derek Stockalper’s 17 points, as Cal Poly defeated Sacramento State, 74-65, in a non-conference men’s basketball game Tuesday evening at Mott Gymnasium.

Cal Poly led for the final 36:33 of the game, opening up a lead as large as 17 points midway through the second half. The Hornets were able to use a 15-3 run to cut the Mustang lead to five points (61-56) with 3:09 remaining, but McGinn answered with a three-pointer and Sacramento State would get no closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Sacramento State lost its season-high fourth straight game, and dropped to 7-12 overall. The Hornets played their final non-conference game of the season as each of the team’s last 10 regular season games will come against Big Sky Conference competition. Sacramento State dropped to 2-9 on the road, and has yet to win a road game outside the state of Colorado (the two victories came against Denver and Northern Colorado).

With the victory, Cal Poly improved to 8-8 overall, and 7-1 at home. The Mustangs avenged a loss last season that saw the Hornets win in Sacramento by the score of 80-59.

The Hornets outrebounded Cal Poly, 44-43 (including a 29-18 margin in the second half), but struggled badly shooting from the field. Sacramento State shot a season-worst 31.1 percent (23-74) and 28.2 percent (11-39) in the second half. Every Hornet shot worse than 37 percent from the field individually, with the exception of junior Davon Roberts, who went 5-of-8 from the floor while tallying career highs in both points (13) and rebounds (9).

Sacramento State wracked up 23 points off 17 Cal Poly turnovers, but could not shoot the ball with any efficiency, including 5-for-27 (.185) from beyond the three-point arc. The Hornets shot well from the free throw line (14-20) and attempted 18 more shots from the field than Cal Poly, but could not overcome a Mustang attack which produced 74 points on 48.2 percent (27-56) from the field and 40.0 percent (8-20) from the three-point line.

Joining McGinn and Stockalper in double figures for Cal Poly were Titus Shelton (15) and Trae Clark (12). Stockalper also added a game-high 12 rebounds. Dreshawn Vance tallied five rebounds and five blocked shots in 19 minutes.

For the Hornets, Roberts continued a torrid stretch that has seen the forward convert on 18 of his last 21 field goal attempts (.857) spanning the previous eight games. In fact, Roberts’ season field goal percentage of .655 is on pace to shatter the Sacramento State Div. I record of .559, a mark he set last season. Six of Roberts’ nine rebounds come on the offensive glass, and he added a career-high tying two steals.

Roberts was one of four Hornets in double figures, comprised of senior Alex Bausley (13 points, six rebounds, four assists and a game-best four steals), senior Haron Hargrave (14 points) and junior Angel Alamo (13 points, six rebounds, two steals). Sophomore Loren Leath scored eight points on 3-of-12 shooting, and is now in a drought that has seen the Oakland native shoot a combined 7-for-31 (.226) over his last three games.

Sacramento State head coach Jerome Jenkins switched things up for tonight’s game, using a starting lineup that included first-time starters Alonzo Young and Curtis Harrison. The Hornets have now used eight different starting lineups this season, and only one player on the roster (Donald Thomas) has yet to start a game. Junior point guard Kris Groce, who was questionable before the game with an ankle injury, played 21 minutes and tallied three rebounds and two assists.

Sacramento State embarks upon its biggest stretch of the season beginning Thursday, Jan. 25, as the team will play three consecutive Big Sky home games against Eastern Washington (Jan. 25), Portland State (Jan. 26) and Northern Colorado (Jan. 31). The Hornets are currently 2-4 in the Big Sky and tied for sixth place in the conference standings with Portland State. The top six teams in the nine-member league advance to the conference’s postseason tournament, a place the Hornets have been each of the last four years.