Three days fresh off a strong overtime win against San Jose State, a Cal Poly men’s basketball team with nine newcomers to the roster seemed to be finding out who they were.
In that game, one of the few returners from last year, senior guard Kobe Sanders, fell into foul trouble early, but the team held it close while he sat out. The bench scored 27 bench in the match while Sanders scored 22 points in the second half and during the overtime period.
In an eerily similar game against Idaho, the Mustangs tried to replicate the magic.
After a baseline dunk to score his only points of the half, Sanders picked up two quick fouls in the first five minutes of the game and was forced to sit for most of the first period. With their leading scorer sitting out, Cal Poly looked for others to step up.
Junior Paul Bizimana took on the offensive load, getting to his spots and using his height to elevate for his jump shot over Idaho defenders. Bizimana scored nine first-half points and became the focal point of Cal Poly’s offense, with Sanders sitting for most of the first half.
The Texas native’s 12 total points in the game are his most as a Mustang, but his contributions weren’t enough to keep pace. Idaho took advantage of the offense, trying to acclimate without their usual number one option, scoring 12 points off turnovers and ending the half with a 43-30 lead.
The Vandals extended their lead to as much as 31 points in the second half. Sanders came back and got going late, finishing with a team-leading 20 points and continuing his streak of double-figure games. His scoring surge, along with complacent defense from Idaho, allowed Cal Poly to cut the lead to 15, but the Vandals’ lead proved to be insurmountable.
Graduate student Jarred Hyder added 11 points to the effort. Junior Joel Armotrading poured in 10 points and 8 boards.
With this loss, the Mustangs fall to 3-5. They look to bounce back Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at Oregon State to face the Beavers.