Even with a record-setting performance from senior guard Kobe Sanders, CSUN (10-3) defeated Cal Poly Men’s Basketball (4-9) 83-73 during their opening matchup in the Big West Conference.
Coming into Mott Athletics Center, CSUN finished non-conference play with wins against Montana State (6-6) and UCLA (6-6).
Sanders scored a career-high 33 points and set a new program record by going 17-for-17 from the free throw line. The previous single-game record was 16, set by Lorenzo Keeler during the 2009-10 season and Gabe Stephenson during the 2005-06 season.
With this performance, Sanders has completed 13 straight games scoring in double figures and is averaging 19.5 PPG, which ranks third in the Big West Conference.
Cal Poly’s defense started the game strong, holding CSUN to 1-11 shooting. The Mustangs led 10-3 to start off the first half., although this did not last long.
Shortly after, Cal Poly’s first-half turnovers led them to a deficit of 17 points, and the Matadors closed the half, shooting 18-26 from the field. The Mustangs were able to shrink that deficit to 46-35 at the half after a couple of consecutive buckets.
Matadors center Jasamn Sangha led the way during the first half, finishing the period with a career-high 17 points. Cal Poly was able to hold him to only two points during the second half.
In the second half, Cal Poly made a push after CSUN turned the ball over seven times. Cal Poly was able to pull to within 1 point with 10:57 remaining in the game.
Shortly after, Sanga and Barnett came through and converted timely buckets to extend the lead. Dionte Bostick led the Matadors with 22 points and topped off the win with an exclamation point dunk.
Last week’s Big West Player of the Week, De’ Sean Allen-Eikens, also continued to produce for CSUN, contributing 19 points on 5-9 from the field and 9-12 from the free throw line.
Allen-Eikens is currently 2nd in the Big West in scoring averaging 19.8 PPG.
Cal Poly’s graduate guard, Jared Hyder, continues to add production for the Mustangs offense finishing with 15 points in 38 minutes of play. On the other side of the ball, junior center Joel Armotrading led the team with a career-high 5 blocks.
Armotrading is a junior from London who transferred to the Mustangs this season from the College of Southern Idaho. Through 13 games, he has recorded 18 blocks on the season.
Cal Poly (4-9) will go on the road to face the UC Davis Aggies (6-6) on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. and look for their first conference win of the season. UC Davis recently upset UC Santa Barbara (7-4) 76-62 on Thursday night.