Sophomore guard Vanessa McManus came out firing, setting the pace for her night by scoring Cal Poly’s first five points.
But the scoring streak, and Cal Poly’s lead, was short lived. Cal State Northridge quickly flipped the momentum and never gave it back. Even with a game-high 31 points from McManus, the Cal Poly Women’s Basketball team fell 68-77 Thursday.
Holding a narrow lead throughout the game, the Matadors handed Mustangs (4-12, 1-4 Big West) their first loss at Mott Athletics Center since early December.
McManus’ second 30-point performance of the year was the bright spot of the loss, the sophomore shooting an efficient 10-18 from the field. Despite the loss, McManus still felt they played better than usual while still having room for improvement in all areas on the court.
“Our defense could have been a lot better, boxing out, and then just getting those extra possessions, “ McManus said. “I think we could’ve won the game if we made our free throws.”
Cal Poly ended the night 14-23 on free throws, leaving nine crucial points at the line. The Mustangs were able to keep the game close, narrowing down the Matador lead multiple times throughout the night.
Cal State Northridge kept Cal Poly at bay with efficient scoring and strong defense, taking a 18–14 lead after the first quarter. The Matadors extended their winning lead in the second quarter, carrying a 40–34 lead into halftime.
With the margin rising to as large as 12 late in the game, Cal Poly responded in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to six. However, the Mustangs’ rally fell short as the Matadors maintained control to secure a 77–68 victory.
Regardless of the loss, freshman forward Charish Thompson provided a steady presence with 15 points and five rebounds. McManus carried the brunt of the offensive load with a game-high 31 points, 21 of them coming before halftime.
Looking forward
As the season progresses into Big West play, the Mustangs continue to push forward through the losses and play each game as it comes.
“It’s one game at a time now,” McManus said. “We have 15 games left, so we just gotta move on and can’t really derail on a loss.”
Cal Poly will look to regroup on the road as the team heads north to play UC Davis on Jan 10 at 2 p.m.