Cal Poly Routs UC Santa Barbara in Blue-Green Rivalry Triumph

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The Cal Poly men's basketball program never trailed and won its program-record 12th consecutive home game against Big West Conference opposition on Saturday night inside the Mott Athletics Center, defeating UC Santa Barbara 67-49 in a Blue-Green Rivalry matchup before a capacity crowd of 2,800.

Senior guard Dylan Royer finished 7-for-16 from the three-point line to post a career-high 23 points for Cal Poly (12-11, 8-5). Royer, who sank a three-pointer as time expired at the end of the first half to give the Mustangs a 29-21 lead, also grabbed five rebounds versus the Gauchos (8-16, 4-9).

The win, Cal Poly's first at home against the Gauchos since Feb. 27, 2010, also snapped a six-game overall losing skid against UC Santa Barbara.

The Mustangs (12-11, 8-5) used a 10-0 run spanning five minutes, 44 seconds early in the first half to go up 14-4 and establish their largest lead before the break. Cal Poly was held scoreless for the first five minutes after the break, as the Gauchos pulled to within three points of the Mustang lead at 29-26. The Mustangs steadily pulled away after that though, eventually going up 48-31 through a three-pointer from junior guard Kyle Odister with nine-and-a-half minutes remaining.

Odister finished with 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting and distributed four assists off the bench.

Eight of the nine players to see floor time for the Mustangs had at least one assist. Cal Poly, which entered the game ranked sixth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (now 1.49-to-1), finished with 16 assists against just eight turnovers. The Mustangs also benefited from finishing 14 of 15 from the free throw line.

Senior guard Drake U'u added nine points for Cal Poly, hitting all seven of his free throw attempts.

In his first career start, freshman forward Joel Awich (above) tied a career high with eight points and pulled down six rebounds. He had two dunks in the first half, the latter of which put Cal Poly up 26-21 with 56 seconds remaining.

Alan Williams led UC Santa Barbara with 24 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks.

Cal Poly, which completed a three-game home stand, will return to action at Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.