Cal Poly senior forward Shane Schilling scored
23 points and senior center Varnie Dennis added 19 points and a dozen
rebounds as Cal Poly snapped a four-game losing streak with an 80-71 victory
over Cal State Fullerton in a Big West Conference men's basketball game
Thursday night before 2,860 in Mott Gym.
Sophomore guard Kameron Gray contributed 12 points and four assists while
junior forward Nick Enzweiler hit all of his three 3-pointers and finished
with 11 points for the Mustangs (7-9, 2-6 Big West).
Cal State Fullerton (6-11, 2-6 Big West) also had a quartet of double-digit
scorers, led by senior forward Bron Groomes and sophomore guard David
Warsaw, each with 14 points. Senior forward Pape Sow added 13 points and
senior guard/forward Anthony Bolton had 11 points off the bench.
Cal Poly gradually pulled away to a 13-point first-half lead at 41-28
with 1:58 to play and settled for a 43-33 advantage at the break.
The Titans went on a 12-4 run to close the gap to 45-40 early in the second
half and was still within five points, 55-50, with 12:12 to go when Cal
Poly went on an 8-1 run to rebuild a 12-point cushion, 63-51, with 8:53
to go. Gray capped that run with a three-pointer.
Cal State Fullerton made one more run, pulling to within four at 65-61
with 5:13 to go and a tip-in by Groomes cut Cal Poly1s lead to 69-66 with
1:34 to go. But Cal Poly outscored the Titans 11-5 the rest of the way,
sinking six consecutive free throws.
Although the Mustangs won, Cal State Fullerton held a 45-27 advantage
on the boards, led by Sow with 12. But Cal Poly turned the ball over just
13 times compared to 18 by the Titans.
Cal Poly made 46 percent of its floor shots (22 of 48) while Cal State
Fullerton was held to just 36 percent (22 of 61).
Cal Poly hosts UC Riverside on Saturday night while Cal State Fullerton
travels to UC Santa Barbara.
