Freshman forward Charish Thompson keeps producing for Cal Poly Women’s Basketball, even on nights when the scoreboard doesn’t cooperate.
The freshman recorded her fourth straight double-digit scoring performance Thursday, but the Mustangs (3-22, 1-14 Big West) fell 84-39 at UC Irvine as the Anteaters’ outside shooting and second-quarter surge proved overwhelming for the struggling lineup.
Thompson finished with a team-high 15 points in 28 minutes, marking her fourth consecutive game in double figures and continuing to cement her role as one of the Mustangs’ most reliable offensive pieces during a rebuilding season. Sophomore guard Vanessa McManus added eight points, while freshman guard Katie Pieffer chipped in seven.
For much of the first quarter, Cal Poly looked composed. The Mustangs shot 6-for-14 from the field and trailed by just four, 19-15, entering the second period. Their early scoring came largely inside, finishing with 18 points in the paint on the night, while Thompson’s aggressiveness kept UC Irvine from fully settling into its defensive rhythm.
But the game shifted quickly in the second quarter.
UC Irvine outscored Cal Poly 25-9 in the period, turning defensive stops into transition opportunities and leaning heavily on its perimeter shooting. The Anteaters finished the night with 14 made three-pointers and shot 45 percent overall, stretching the Mustangs’ defense beyond the arc and opening the floor for inside scoring and offensive rebounds.
By halftime, Irvine led 44-24.
Cal Poly struggled to regain rhythm offensively, shooting 30% from the field and just 3-for-14 from three. While the Mustangs did receive 14 bench points and showed flashes of defensive activity with six steals, Irvine’s ball movement kept the Anteaters in command.
The result extends Cal Poly’s challenging season as the program continues its rebuild. The Mustangs now sit at 3-22 overall and 1-14 in conference play, a record that reflects both the youth of the roster and the growing pains of developing new leaders and offensive consistency.
The team has gone winless for over a month, with their last triumph coming on Jan. 3 against Long Beach State.
Thursday’s loss also deepens a difficult history against UC Irvine. The Mustangs have now dropped 11 straight meetings with the Anteaters, bringing the all-time series since 2011 to 19-13 in Irvine’s favor.
Still, signs of development remain.
Thompson’s scoring consistency, McManus’ steady backcourt presence and contributions from freshmen across the rotation continue to highlight the long-term trajectory of the program. While results have been uneven, Cal Poly’s lineup has increasingly leaned on underclassmen gaining high-level minutes, which is a process that often defines rebuilding seasons more than wins and losses.
The Mustangs will look to translate that growth into a stronger showing Saturday when they remain on the road to face rival UC Santa Barbara. For a young Cal Poly squad, each game now doubles as preparation for the future, even when the scoreboard tells a tougher story.