Box Score San Luis Obispo, Calif. – Cal Poly defeated UC Irvine 50-38 at Mott Athletic Center Saturday.
The Anteaters (4-19, 1-8) were led by guard Raelyn Cheung-Sutton with 13 points and forward Mokun Fajemisin with a career-high 16 rebounds. Guards Irene Chavez added eight points and five rebounds, while Andee Ritter and Mckenzie Piper had five points apiece.
Cal Poly (11-11, 4-5) had four players with double-digit scoring led by Hannah Gilbert with 14 points. Beth Balbierz recorded 13 points and Lynn Leaupepe had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Dynn Leaupepe totaled 10 points.
The Mustangs out-rebounded UCI 52-43. UCI went 4-19 from three-point distance and 6-8 from the free throw line. Cal Poly went 15-19 from the line and 1-9 from long range. Cal Poly shot 28.3% (17-60) from the field, while the Anteaters went 14-64 (21.9%) from the field.
The teams were tied four times and neither team got ahead by more than three in the first period as the squads were deadlocked at 13-13 after the first 10 minutes.
Cal Poly would score the first seven points of the second period to open a 20-13 advantage until Irene Chavez scored back-to-back baskets and Mokun Fajemisin hit a bucket at 3:54 to bring the Anteaters within 20-19. The Mustangs would score the final five points of the half and lead 25-19 at the break.
Back-to-back three pointers by Raelyn Cheung-Sutton pulled UCI to 29-27 at 3:14 of the third period, but that was the last time the Anteaters would score in the quarter and trail 32-27 heading in to the final period.
Cal Poly would score seven of the first nine points of the fourth quarter to open a 10-point advantage at 7:16. The Mustangs would hold a 41-32 lead at 4:48 leading before a Fajemisin basket and a pair of Cheung-Sutton free throws narrowed the deficit to 41-36 at 2:31. Cal Poly would score the next eight, including six free throws to build the gap back to 13 (49-36) with 55 seconds left. A free throw by Cal Poly and two by UCi ended the scoring, 50-38.
UCI returns to action hosting UC Santa Barbara on Thursday (Feb. 11) at 7:00 p.m. in the Bren Events Center.
