The Cal Poly Mustangs men's basketball team represents California Polytechnic State University, located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference. The Cal Poly men's basketball team's first season was 1907 and its first season as a four-year institution was 1941–42. The Mustangs are coached by Mike DeGeorge and play their home games at Robert A. Mott Athletics Center.
History
The team began playing at the Division I level in 1994–95, and shortly thereafter won a regular-season conference title in the four-team American West Conference (since disbanded) with a 5–1 record in 1996. The 1995–96 championship season saw Cal Poly's Ben Larson average 3.45 steals per game, the third-most in NCAA history, while winning the AWC Player of the Year award. The Mustangs then joined the Big West ahead of the 1996–97 school year.
In 2009, ESPN selected Ernie Wheeler (1972–86) as the top coach in school history, along with Derek Stockalper as the best player in program history (joined by Jim Schultz, Mike Wozniak, Mike LaRoche and Varnie Dennis as the network's then-all time starting five). Wozniak became the all-time scoring leader in school history. Just a year later, however, Chris Bjorklund broke Wozniak's career program record of 1,903 points, graduating in 2001 after scoring a still-standing total of 2,006.
Cal Poly advanced to its first Division I NCAA Tournament in 2014 after a historic run in the Big West Conference tournament, becoming the first 7th seed to win the championship, as the Mustangs defeated CSUN, 61–59, following a go-ahead 3-pointer made by Ridge Shipley at the Honda Center. Cal Poly earned the 16th seed and defeated Texas Southern in the NCAA first round in Dayton. Cal Poly then advanced to the 2nd Round, where they were defeated by unbeaten top seed Wichita State 64–37.
Prior to the 2014 conference tournament championship-game victory, Cal Poly advanced to the Big West Championship Game on two other occasions: in 2003 (falling to Utah State) and 2007 (to Long Beach State).
The Blue-Green rivalry
The main rival of the Cal Poly Mustangs men's basketball team is the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's basketball team. The rivalry is a part of the larger Blue–Green Rivalry, which encompasses all sports from the two schools.
Postseason
NCAA Division I Tournament results The Mustangs have appeared in one NCAA tournament. Their record is 1–1.
2014 #16 First FourSecond Round #16 Texas Southern#1 Wichita State W 81–69L 37–64
NCAA Division II Tournament results The Mustangs appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament seven times. Their combined record was 10–8, with the deepest run forged by the 1981 squad which advanced to the Final Four in Springfield, Mass.
1971 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game Puget SoundSan Francisco State L 69–81W 70–68 1974 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game Sonoma StateCal State Chico L 66–73W 81–63 1977 Regional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite Eight Seattle PacificPuget SoundNorth Alabama W 73–58W 67–54L 64–67 OT 1980 Regional semifinalsRegional Finals San Francisco StateUC Riverside W 66–46L 53–62 1981 Regional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite EightFinal FourNational 3rd-place game BloomsbergClarionNew Hampshire CollegeFlorida SouthernGreen Bay W 71–43W 84–61W 77–73L 51–54W 62–61 2OT 1982 Regional semifinalsRegional Finals Alaska–AnchorageCal State Bakersfield W 66–60L 55–58 1986 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game Cal State East BayUC Riverside L 65–67L 53–55 CIT results The Mustangs have appeared in one CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). Their record is 0–1.
2013 First round Weber state L 43–85
Season-by-season results
NBA players In 2017, David Nwaba became the first Cal Poly alum to play in the NBA, making his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers, his hometown team. Nwaba, who made the 2016–17 G-League All-Defensive Team, has also played for the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets. While with Cal Poly, Nwaba was selected to the 2014 Big West All-Tournament Team, and was voted as the conference's Player of the Week on December 22, 2014.
NBA Draft picks YearRoundOverallTeamPlayer197810199PHXLewis Cohen2025250LAC (via NYK)Kobe Sanders
Other notable pro alumni Sean Chambers, Philippines Aces Chris Eversley, Westports Malaysia Dragons Donovan Fields, Irish Super League Mike LaRoche, Los Angeles Stars Derek Stockalper, Lugano Tigers Drake U'u, Perth Wildcats
Gallery
References