In a must-win game on senior night hosting the Cal State Fullerton Titans, Cal Poly hits a record-setting 20 three-pointers against a Division-I opponent en route to a 100-61 victory.
With the win, the Mustangs sit just one game behind CSU Bakersfield for the eighth and final spot in the Big West Tournament.
Cal Poly can clinch a bid to the conference tournament if they beat Long Beach State on Saturday.
The win transcended from just the 39-point victory on the court, it was about honoring the seniors and graduate students who would play their final game in front of the home fans at Mott Athletics Center.
“It’s emotional, to see the smiles on their faces and get a win on Senior night is awesome,” Head Coach Mike DeGeorge said. “It’s one of the ways you hope to have an impact as a coach, making the quality of this experience the best possible.”
Among those celebrated was graduate forward Owen Koonce.
As the Mustang’s leading scorer this season with 17.1 points per game, Koonce is scoring at a highly efficient rate as well. He’s shooting 52% from the field, 39% from three-point and 89% from the free-throw line.
Koonce left his mark yet again on the Mott fans, leaving them with a lasting image of a team-leading 21 points, adding three rebounds, and two assists.
Another graduate, point guard Jarred Hyder steps off of the court at Mott for the last time after a memorable Cal Poly career.
“Since the day I got here, the community took me in as one of their own and been really good to me,” Hyder said. “I’ll remember the atmosphere and appreciate the types of people who supported us.”
The sharp-shooting point guard started his NCAA journey in 2019 as a freshman at Fresno State and transferred to UC Berkeley in 2020.
In 2022 Hyder suffered a season-ending injury with Berkeley and transferred to Cal Poly for the 2023 season.
Now in his graduate year, Hyder has found his groove again, he is the second-leading scorer for the Mustangs at 13.9 ppg, hitting 82 three-pointers this year.
Hyder is tied for the program record for three-pointers made in a game with eight, he showed Cal Poly fans his three-point prowess in his final home game, knocking down five shots from deep, and adding 16 points in the game.
Adding to that three-point total would be the other sharp-shooter, senior guard Issac Jessup.
One of the nation’s top three-point shooters, ranking No. 10 in three-point percentage with 43%, Jessup made his mark on Cal Poly from behind the arc.
He nailed five three-pointers for the Mustangs, finishing with 15 points in front of the senior night crowd.
Looking to the other side of the ball, Cal Poly’s premiere defender, graduate forward Mac Riniker.
Fans know him for his hustle, his pesky defense against guys who are five inches taller than him and his fouling.
Riniker delivered a team-leading five steals and six rebounds, adding eight points in the contest as well.
Checking into the game with a stadium full of support and applause would be senior guard Hayden Jory.
The Lompoc, Calif, native has been with Cal Poly since he was a freshman and has been a veteran leader in the locker room all season.
“Ever since I was a kid coming to the Cal Poly Basketball games the community has been special,” Jory said. “They embraced me as a person and a player, it’s great to have their support and my family’s support while playing here.”
He’s a familiar face for the Mustang fanbase, and he came in and knocked down a corner three-pointer right in front of the Cal Poly bench, all of his teammates celebrating the moment.
This moment can be a reminder of the career achievements of all the seniors and graduate students on the team, but there is still one game left, and a chance to create another big moment for the season.
The Mustangs took down Long Beach State earlier in the year, 78-69, snapping a 46-game conference losing streak.
To beat them again on Saturday means a berth in the Big West Conference Tournament and Cal Poly is hot, winning seven out of their last ten contests.
“We believe we can beat any team in this conference if we bring our A-Game,” Jory said. “There is something about March and we’re making some noise now, we just have to go out and win this next game.”
