Gauchos outlast Mustangs in defensive battle

Mott was packed on Saturday night, but UCSB fought-back for the victory. By Owen Main

UCSB used a 20-5 run in the final 7:23 to come back and win an ugly game at Mott Athletics Center Saturday night.

In Al Williams’ final contest in San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly’s Brian Bennett went toe-to-toe with the Player of the Year candidate. Bennett held the center to nine points on 4-11 shooting from the field, but Cal Poly shot only 23.4 percent (15-64) for the game, a season-low mark.

Joel Awich led Cal Poly in scoring with 13 points. Matching up with Williams, who scored nine points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Bennett notched a double-double for Cal Poly with 10 points and 10 rebounds. It was Bennett’s second career double-double and first since the first game of his freshman year at TCU.

Four fouls for Al

With 13:38 left in the game and Cal Poly up by six points, Al Williams picked up his fourth foul.

UCSB coach Bob Williams played a zone for much of the rest of the game. Down the stretch, the Mustangs had a very difficult time scoring, including a 5:41 drought as UCSB came back from a 10-point deficit to take the lead.

Much of UCSB’s success came with a zone defense that they were probably compelled to use due to Williams’ foul trouble.

Packed into the zone for much of the second half, UCSB limited penetration from David Nwaba and Maliik Love. With almost a full week to scout Cal Poly, the Gauchos really seemed dialed-in defensively, willing to give the Mustangs contested outside shots down the stretch. It proved effective.

Cal Poly shot 4-22 (18%) to UCSB’s 7-19 (39%) from behind the arc. UCSB junior Michael Bryson hit two big three-pointers to give the Gauchos the lead and then extend that lead late.

Overall, Cal Poly shot 23 percent from the field and held UCSB to 37 percent shooting, while winning the turnover battle 15-7. The Mustangs also outrebounded UCSB 20-10 on the offensive glass, but just couldn’t seem to get in rhythm or convert on the chances they had.

Along with Gabe Vincent and Zalmico Harmon, Michael Bryson was a difference-maker in the second half. By Owen Main

Gaucho guards keep them in it

While Williams was held to six points in the first half and only nine for the game, two Gaucho guards played big roles. Point guard Gabe Vincent showed that he is much-improved since last season. Vincent scored a team-high 15 points and shot 3-5 from three-point range. fellow guard Zalmico Harmon led the team with seven first-half points, keeping the Gauchos squarely within single-digits of the Mustangs.

Bryson, who plays a wing role, did not score in the first half, but he and Vincent combined for three straight three-pointers and nine consecutive points to punctuate the Gauchos’ late run. Bryson finished the game with eight points and six rebounds.

What’s next

Cal Poly gets ready to hit the road again next week. They’ll travel to the Pyramid to face Long Beach State on Thursday on ESPN3. On Saturday, they’ll be at the Matadome to face Cal State Northridge. Both games start at 7:00.

Women sweep the week

Earlier on Saturday, the Cal Poly women’s team earned a road victory in Santa Barbara, beating UCSB at the Thunderdome. The loss drops UCSB to 0-14 on the season.

Cal Poly will host Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Thursday’s game starts at 7:00 and Saturday’s at 4:00. On Saturday, the team will try to break the home attendance record at Cal Poly for a women’s game. I’ll post more on that later this week.

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