Callero has let his team know, that knocking off either the Gauchos or 49ers will not come via a fluke. An ascension to elite status in the Big West Conference won’t be handed to the Mustangs. If they want real to join the Gauchos and 49ers as a top Big West team, they’ll have to earn it.

Coach Callero has Amaurys Fermin and the Mustangs off to a fast start. Photo by Owen Main

“Every day, you’ve got to pay full price for what you want in life,” said Callero after his  team lost to UCSB on a last-second shot in their conference opener Monday night. “There are no discounts in basketball, there are no discounts in the weight room, there are no discounts in getting in the gym and taking extra shots. You’ve got to pay full price for everything. Until we knock Santa Barbara off, until we knock Long Beach off, until there is a new champion, until there is somebody new going to the NCAA tournament, we’ve got to keep on working.”

You can listen to the passion in his voice in the press conference clip below.

Despite the tough loss to their Central Coast rivals, Cal Poly players seemed remarkably level-headed and positive after the game.

When asked about what the Mustangs would do to focus on the next game, senior point guard Amaurys Fermin kept things pretty simple.

“Pick our heads up and let’s go at it,” said Fermin. “Our guys know we’ve got to bounce back from any game. We’ve been in tough games throughout the year that come down to the last minute, the last two minutes.”

To get a chance to play a close game at the Pyramid in Long Beach, Cal Poly will have to shoot better than the 4-18 from beyond the arc they managed vs. UCSB. They’ll also have to do better than 13-24 from the foul line.

“There’s just no shortcuts,” said Callero. “We were a team three years ago who was in last place, then we went to sixth place, and last year we went to second place and we feel like we have the material on the floor that can get to the postseason this year.”

Cal Poly’s conference season starts with the preseason #2 (UCSB), #1 (Long Beach State), and #4 (Cal State Fullerton). The Mustangs were ranked #3 in the Big West preseason poll.

When asked about the tough schedule, Callero’s answer reiterated his thoughts on “paying full price in the clip below.”

Meanwhile, Callero is looking toward the rest of the conference slate.

“You can’t let one game destroy your season,” said Callero. “You can’t go in the locker room and have a pity party.”

The Mustangs have twice in their history been one game away from the NCAA Tournament. A win over Long Beach State Thursday night would be a statement that they are ready to again seriously compete for the Big West’s automatic bid.

Cal Poly vs. Long Beach State

Thursday 1/5/11 – 7:00

The Pyramid – Long Beach, CA