SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT). - Sophomore Hamad Mousa finished with a game high 26 points Thursday evening and fellow guard Peter Bandelj produced the go-ahead and eventual game-winning layup (left) with 18 seconds remaining as the Cal Poly men’s basketball program resumed Big West play and opened 2026 with a 67-65 victory against defending conference champion UC San Diego.
Bandelj added 15 points for Cal Poly (6-9, 2-1), which snapped UC San Diego’s 16-game winning streak against Big West opponents dating to Jan. 18, 2025.
Held scoreless for the final four minutes, UC San Diego clung to a 65-64 advantage following a missed three-pointer by guard Alex Chaikin with 38 seconds to play. Mustang junior guard Jake Davis rebounded and, following a Cal Poly timeout, Bandelj drove the left baseline with his layup to place Cal Poly in front.
At the other end of Mott Athletics Center, an attempt at the rim from Tritons guard Leo Beath bounded off the iron with Cal Poly sophomore guard Cayden Ward rebounding. Fouled, Ward converted one free throw attempt before a three-pointer from Beath sailed wide at the buzzer.
Prior to the final minute, Cal Poly’s last lead was an 18-16 advantage seven-and-a-half minutes into action. UC San Diego dissolved that edge with a 13-5 run and led by as much as 40-31 two-and-a-half minutes before the break.
Mousa, however, responded for Cal Poly with back-to-back three-pointers and a layup from Ward with a second to go cut UC San Diego’s lead to 42-39 heading into the locker room.
The Tritons, limited to a 21.2 (7-for-33) percent second-half shooting mark, failed to stretch their lead past six points during the second half.
Cal Poly Noteworthy (versus UC San Diego)
Up Next: Cal Poly returns to the road Saturday, Jan. 3, visiting Long Beach State (4-10, 0-2) at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.A double-digit scorer in all 14 appearances, Hamad Mousa retained the Big West scoring lead, improving his average to 21.0 points per game.Peter Bandelj, meanwhile, moved to fifth among Big West scorers at 16.1 points per game.Cayden Ward led all players Thursday with a season best 11 rebounds.Cal Poly’s Thursday win snapped a five-game series slide versus UC San Diego.The Mustangs, who entered Thursday’s matchup ranked 12th among NCAA Division I programs with 31.7 three-point attempts per game, attempted a season high 42 against UC San Diego.
(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics)
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