Cal Poly Faces UC Irvine in Big West Semifinals on ESPN2 This Friday

Cal Poly Faces UC Irvine in Big West Semifinals on ESPN2 This Friday

HENDERSON, Nev. – On March 14, 2025, exactly 11 years after the Cal Poly men's basketball team stunned top-seeded UC Irvine in the semifinals on their way to winning the 2014 Big West Championship, the seventh-seeded Mustangs will once again face the No. 2 Anteaters in the Big West Tournament semifinals. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN+ at 8:30 p.m. from Lee’s Family Forum.

Cal Poly (16-18) will be making its first semifinal appearance since its 2014 title run. After starting Big West play with an 0-8 record, the Mustangs have now won five straight, six of their last seven, and 10 of their last 14 games since January 25. They are ranked third in NCAA Division I for three-pointers per game (11.5) and 18th in scoring (82.2 points per game). In their last four games, Cal Poly has hit 67 three-pointers. UC Irvine (27-5), who received a double bye to the semifinals after finishing second in the Big West, boasts the second-best defense in the conference, allowing just 65.6 points per game.

Media Info:

• Game Time: Friday, 8:30 p.m.
• Watch: ESPN2, ESPN+
• Listen Live: 8:30 p.m. Friday
• Live Stats & Complete Game Preview: [Link]

Cal Poly vs. UC Irvine: A Historic Rivalry
Cal Poly is looking to break a six-game losing streak against UC Irvine, having lost twice during the regular season—98-89 in overtime at home (Jan. 2) and 101-71 on the road (Jan. 18). The Mustangs' last win over UC Irvine was a 65-54 victory on March 3, 2022. Overall, UC Irvine leads the series 46-23, with a 43-20 edge in Division I matchups.

In Big West Championship history, UC Irvine holds a 3-2 advantage over Cal Poly, with the most recent win coming on March 11, 2021, when the Anteaters won 58-51 in the quarterfinals. Cal Poly’s most memorable victory in the tournament against UC Irvine came on March 14, 2014, when they eliminated the top-seeded Anteaters with a 61-58 win in the semifinals.

Mustangs in the Big West Tournament
This marks Cal Poly's 20th appearance in the Big West Championship. Aside from their 2014 title, the Mustangs reached the championship game in 2003 and 2007. Cal Poly has a 14-18 overall record in the tournament, with seven semifinal appearances, the last of which was in 2014. The Mustangs’ most notable title run came as a seventh seed in 2014, when they defeated top-seeded UC Irvine, second-seeded UC Santa Barbara, and fifth-seeded CSUN.

Big West Seeding and Tournament History
Friday’s semifinal matchup will mark Cal Poly’s 16th consecutive postseason game as the lower seed. The Mustangs were seeded 10th in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and they played as the lower seed during their 2014 championship run. The last time Cal Poly played as a higher seed was in 2013.

Cal Poly’s Impressive Turnaround
After starting Big West play 0-8, Cal Poly has turned things around with eight wins in their last 12 games, securing a spot in the Big West Championship. The Mustangs are averaging 82.2 points per game this season, which ranks 18th among Division I programs. This offensive explosion has been a major turnaround under first-year head coach Mike DeGeorge.

Key Players to Watch
Graduate guard Owen Koonce has been the offensive leader for Cal Poly, ranking 36th among NCAA Division I players in field goal percentage (52.3%) and 6th in the Big West with 17.3 points per game. He’s been a double-digit scorer in all but five games this season.

Jarred Hyder, a graduate guard, has also been crucial, with the most three-point attempts in a single season for Cal Poly (271). He’s set a new program record for three-pointers with 96 this season.

Senior guard Isaac Jessup has emerged as one of the nation’s top three-point shooters, ranked 15th in NCAA Division I with a 43.1% shooting percentage from beyond the arc.

Freshman guard Peter Bandelj has contributed significantly, especially in recent games, and is averaging 14.0 points per game over the last seven contests.

Head Coach Mike DeGeorge
In his first year at the helm, Mike DeGeorge has led Cal Poly to a remarkable turnaround, guiding the Mustangs to a strong Big West Tournament run after inheriting a team that started conference play with a tough record. His previous success at Colorado Mesa, including Sweet 16 appearances in 2022 and 2024, has brought an offensive edge to Cal Poly’s playstyle.

Looking Ahead
The Mustangs are hoping to continue their strong tournament run and add another historic chapter to their Big West Championship legacy.

Tags;

demure,
demure trend,
very demure trend,
give me my money trend,
just give me my money trend,
what is demure trend,
what is the demure trend,
demure meaning,
demure trend meaning,
bta trend,
i love your daughter trend,
gimme my money trend,
nice try diddy trend,
legging legs trend,
hey brother trend,
who started the demure trend,
what is the very demure trend,
where did the demure trend come from,