Mustangs fall to IPFW 75-73

Missed layups. Missed free throws. Wide open looks for the opponent. These are not ways to win basketball games.

Luke Meikle dropped 16 points on Thursday night, but it wasn’t enough to get Cal Poly over the top against the IPFW Mastadons. By Owen Main

On Thursday night at Mott Athletic Center, Cal Poly men’s basketball was just not sharp enough to beat a game IPFW team that made 8-12 three-pointers in the first half. With the game tied at 73, guard Mo Evans made a clutch pull-up jumper to beat the Mustangs by two.

Cal Poly is now 4-3 this season.

Luke Meikle scored a quiet 16 points off the bench — if there is such a thing. David Nwaba dropped in a frustrated 11 points on 4-11 shooting from the floor and Reese Morgan added 10 off the bench. As a team, Cal Poly was 7-17 from behind the arc, but the starters were just 2-10 on the night. Cal Poly left at least 10-12 easy points out there, missing a number of layups, not to mention missed free throws.

Cal Poly shot 12-20 (60%) from the free throw line for the game.

But head coach Joe Callero was most disappointed after the game with his team’s lack of ability to stop dribble penetration and in his team’s help defense and overall defensive effort, which he said needs to improve.

All eyes will be on Joe Callero’s team Saturday night in their final non-conference home game of the season vs. Fresno State. The Bulldogs are 6-1 overall, but got a little scare of their own on Thursday night against NAIA squad The Masters College.

The Saturday doubleheader starts with the women’s game at 4:00pm — also against Fresno State. Cal Poly’s women’s team beat Pepperdine in Malibu earlier in the week behind a strong performance from Hannah Gilbert.

The men’s game follows at 7:00 at Mott.

Photos by Owen Main