Preview: Cal Poly Men’s Basketball travels to Stanford – Mustang News

After returning home for a win against Grambling State, Cal Poly men’s basketball will return on the road as they visit Stanford on Saturday.

The game will be their last non-conference fixture for some time before beginning Big West play against UC Davis on Thursday, Dec. 5.

The Mustangs (4-4) look to keep their momentum going after holding off Grambling State on Tuesday.

Mustang get back in the win column

After a two-game skid of losses against Arizona State and Saint Mary’s, Cal Poly got back into the win column with a victory against Grambling State. 

Four Mustangs finished in double figures, with senior guard Isaac Jessup and graduate guard Owen Koonce leading the team with 17 points each.

The Mustangs fell behind early, but after forcing turnovers, they went on a run and gained a sizable lead going into halftime.

The Tigers came back late in the second half and had an opportunity to take the lead with 22 seconds remaining, but a timely block by graduate guard Mac Riniker secured the win. 

The victory kept Cal Poly undefeated at home this season, with a 4-0 record at Mott Athletics Center.

The Mustangs cleaned up on two of their most prevalent weaknesses this season: rebounding and turnovers.

Against its previous two opponents, Cal Poly was dominated on the glass, giving up 33 offensive rebounds that led to numerous second-chance points.

The Mustangs limited the Tigers to eight offensive boards and grabbed more total rebounds despite their size disadvantage.

Cal Poly also limited the turnovers, only committing eight compared to their season average of 16.

If the Mustangs can keep this play up, they are primed to make a solid run as conference play begins.

A look at Stanford

The Cardinal (6-1) have been off to a hot start this season under new head coach Kyle Smith, winning six in a row before falling to Grand Canyon University on Tuesday.

Stanford has succeeded by relying on last season’s Pac-12 Most Improved Player, center Maxime Raynaud.

Raynaud has arguably been the best center in NCAA men’s basketball so far, ranking fifth in the nation in points per game with 23.7 and leading the country in rebounds per game with 12.6 a night.

The 7 feet 1-inch tall big man has begun the year with seven straight double-doubles, establishing himself as a dominant force on the inside while also shooting 40% from three-point range.

Raynaud’s frame will certainly challenge Cal Poly in the paint, as they face a significant height disadvantage against him.

Though the Cardinals’ focal point has been Raynaud, their backcourt of Jaylen Blakes and Oziyah Sellers have shown they can handle the scoring load, averaging double figures.

Blakes is coming off of a 22-point outing against Grand Canyon University, where he got to the basket at will and earned nine free throws.

Cal Poly must limit Stanford’s inside game to put up another impressive performance against a great school.

The Mustangs and Cardinals will tip off at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 at Maples Pavilion.