Cal Poly Women’s basketball face UC San Diego, who they defeated in a close game earlier this season, tonight at 7 p.m.
Currently ranked No. 8 and in final postseason spot in the Big West, the Mustangs (11-13, 6-8 Big West) need crucial wins in their last six regular season games to jump up the conference rankings before the postseason.
This week, the Mustangs are on a road trip. Tonight they are matched up against UC San Diego (13-13, 9-5 Big West), the No. 3 team in the Big West.
In their previous meeting this season, Cal Poly defeated UC San Diego 61-56 at home. The Mustangs have won their last three matchups against the Tritons, holding UC San Diego, a team that usually averages around 64 points, to under 60 points in each game.
Sophomore guard Sumayah Sugapong has been a standout performer for UC San Diego in previous matchups against Cal Poly, recently earning her fourth Big West Player of the Week honor this season. She averaged 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in the past week, contributing to the Tritons’ two consecutive conference victories and moving them into third-place.
Keys to the game
Cal Poly’s defense is coming off of its best game of the year, and will look to shut down Sugapong in the matchup tonight.
Turnovers remain a problem for Cal Poly, who average 19 turnovers a game, the second-worst in the Big West. The Triton’s defense allows 59 points per game, and Cal Poly are looking to repeat their performance from last Saturday and take advantage of opportunities on the offensive side of the floor.
Cal Poly has some momentum coming off their biggest win of the season against CSU Northridge last Saturday. The Mustangs shot over 52% from the field and from three-point range, finding a stroke of efficiency that has been inconsistent throughout the 2024-2025 season.
Offensively, senior guard Annika Shah is a key Mustang piece. As one of the top three-point shooters in the nation, ranked 23rd, when Shah has been efficient from the field, Cal Poly has found success.
Sophomore forward Mary Carter is coming off a career-high 22 points, and will look to find gaps in UC San Diego’s interior defense.
Defensively, slowing down Sugapong is Cal Poly’s main goal. She’s coming off back-to-back strong performances and has been the engine behind UCSD’s offense. Limiting her touches and contesting her shots could disrupt the Tritons’ rhythm.
With Cal Poly holding onto the last Big West tournament spot, a win tonight keeps them in the postseason race and builds momentum heading into the season’s final stretch.
Tip-off will be at 7 p.m. tonight in LionTree Arena.
