Mustangs beat UC Riverside, sweep the weekend at home

The Cal Poly men’s basketball team was teetering toward the bottom of the conference standings. After two wins, including a 68-49 win over UC Riverside on Saturday night, the Mustangs have planted themselves firmly in the center of the Big West standings at 3-3 in conference play.

The Mustangs had four players score in double-figures and pulled away after UC Riverside tied the game at 37 apiece with 8:14 left. Cal Poly responded in a big way. Reese Morgan scored five straight points, Ridge Shipley hit a three-pointer, and in a span of 54 seconds, the home side had built their lead back up to eight points. They wouldn’t look back.

Reese Morgan got to the free throw line 10 times on Saturday night. By Owen Main

Holding down Johns

You wouldn’t know by his box score, but Taylor Johns, UCR’s best player and leading scorer, didn’t have one of his best games. Johns missed three or four relatively easy (for him) shots from in-close. He still managed 19 points and seven rebounds — a testament to how good he is — but he also turned the ball over five times. The Mustangs only turned it over seven times the entire game.

Reese Morgan back on-track

I’m not sure anybody knew what we were going to get from Reese Morgan this season. Perhaps Joe Callero didn’t even really know. Morgan has been utilized with limited minutes in mind throughout this season.

For a shooter, that can be a difficult situation to be in. Rhythm can go away with a long sit on the bench and, in some games, maybe it never even gets there.

On Saturday, Morgan’s rhythm looked like it was off once again. But Morgan got himself to the free throw line, where he was 9-10 on the night, and knocked down a few big shots as the Mustangs pulled ahead. Without Taylor Sutlive and Kyle Toth for the rest of the season, Morgan’s role and ability to make outside shots will be a really big deal. Sophomore point guard Ridge Shipley will also have make some three-pointers off the bench if Cal Poly is to move into the upper echelon of teams in the conference.

Joel Awich rears back to throw down a big dunk on Saturday night in Mott Athletics Center. By Owen Main

Awich continues to make strides

In the two games this week, Joel Awich set single-game career-highs in scoring, rebounds, blocks, and on Saturday he notched his first double-double.

Prior to the season starting, Awich was seen by some as an heir apparent to Chris Eversley’s offensive versatility. Like Eversley, Awich can play all three front-court positions and can play with either facing-up or with his back to the basket.

But the season started with Awich finding himself too-often spotting up around the three-point line and maybe not often enough being aggressive in the post. The junior doesn’t seem like he’s floating anymore. His moves to the basket are hard and aggressive, his defense is very active, and alongside Brian Bennett, Cal Poly’s starting forwards have begun to really play well with one another.

Tough schedule lurks

Joe Callero’s team hits the road again this week, traveling to UC Irvine and UC Davis. The Anteaters and Aggies are two of the conference’s top three teams currently.

Irvine, the heavy conference favorites, beat Cal State Northridge by over 30 points the other night. UC Davis has probably been the most consistent team in the conference from the beginning of the season. They shoot amazingly high percentages from the field and will be a tough game for the Mustangs.

Thursday night’s game can be found on ESPN3 and Saturday’s can also be found on ESPN U.

Photos by Owen Main. To view on an iPad or iPhone, click here.