IRVINE – Sophomore Guzman Vasilic scored a career high 18 points and freshman Austin Goode enjoyed a collegiate best 17 Thursday evening as the Cal Poly men’s basketball program overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to hand previous Big West leader UC Irvine a 79-73 defeat inside Mott Athletics Center.
Sophomore Cayden Ward produced his second career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds for Cal Poly (10-16, 6-8), which utilized a 19-5 run out of halftime to overtake UC Irvine (16-9, 9-4) seven minutes into the second half.
The Mustangs trailed just twice down the stretch – by a single point each occasion – with three-pointers on four successive from possessions (Goode and sophomore Peter Bandelj alternating) establishing a 74-65 edge with two minutes to play.
Limiting UC Irvine to a 33.3 (10-for-30) percent second-half shooting mark, Cal Poly drained 14 three-pointers while outrebounding the anteaters, 51-40.
Bandelj, who sank four three-pointers alongside Vasilic, finished with 14 points for Cal Poly.