Cal Poly Mustangs men's basketball

Cal Poly Mustangs
2024–25 Cal Poly Mustangs men's basketball team
UniversityCalifornia Polytechnic State University
Head coachMike DeGeorge (1st season)
ConferenceBig West
LocationSan Luis Obispo, California
ArenaMott Athletics Center
(capacity: 3,032)
NicknameMustangs
ColorsPoly green, copper gold, and stadium gold[1]
     
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
NCAA tournament Final Four
1981*
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1977*, 1981*
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1977*, 1980*, 1981*, 1982*
NCAA tournament appearances
1971*, 1974*, 1977*, 1980*, 1981*, 1982*, 1986*, 2014
*at Division II level
Conference tournament champions
Big West: 2014
Conference regular season champions
CCAA: 1955, 1956, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981 (co), 1986, 1987 (co)
American West: 1996

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.[2][3] The Mustangs are coached by Mike DeGeorge and play their home games at Robert A. Mott Athletics Center.

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,[4] 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).[5] Wozniak became the all-time scoring leader in school history.[6] 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.[7]

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,[8] following a go-ahead 3-pointer made by Ridge Shipley[9] at the Honda Center.[10] Cal Poly earned the 16th seed and defeated Texas Southern[11] 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[12]) and 2007 (to Long Beach State[13]).[14][15]

The Blue-Green rivalry

Main article: 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.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
2014 #16 First Four
Second Round		 #16 Texas Southern
#1 Wichita State		 W 81–69
L 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.[16]

Year Round Opponent Result
1971 Regional semifinals
Regional 3rd-place game		 Puget Sound
San Francisco State		 L 69–81
W 70–68
1974 Regional semifinals
Regional 3rd-place game		 Sonoma State
Cal State Chico		 L 66–73
W 81–63
1977 Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight		 Seattle Pacific
Puget Sound
North Alabama		 W 73–58
W 67–54
L 64–67 OT
1980 Regional semifinals
Regional Finals		 San Francisco State
UC Riverside		 W 66–46
L 53–62
1981 Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd-place game		 Bloomsberg
Clarion
New Hampshire College
Florida Southern
Green Bay		 W 71–43
W 84–61
W 77–73
L 51–54
W 62–61 2OT
1982 Regional semifinals
Regional Finals		 Alaska–Anchorage
Cal State Bakersfield		 W 66–60
L 55–58
1986 Regional semifinals
Regional 3rd-place game		 Cal State East Bay
UC Riverside		 L 65–67
L 53–55

CIT results

The Mustangs have appeared in one CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). Their record is 0–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
2013 First round Weber state L 43–85

Season-by-season results

Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Unknown (Independent) (1921–1941)
1921–22 Unknown 4–1
1922–23 No Team
1923–24 Unknown 2–3
1924–25 Unknown 4–2
1925–26 Unknown 1–5
1926–27 Unknown 3–9
1927–28 Unknown 6–11
1928–29 No Team
1929–30 No Team
1930–31 No Team
1931–32 No Team
1932–33 Unknown 15–3
1933–34 Unknown 4–6
1934–35 Unknown 3–7
1935–36 Unknown 7–5
1936–37 Unknown 5–7
1937–38 No Team
1938–39 Unknown 8–8
1939–40 Unknown 7–8
1940–41 Unknown 6–13
Unknown: 75–88
Howie O'Daniels (Independent) (1941–1942)
1941–42 Howie O'Daniels 5–17
O'Daniels: 5–17
1942–43 No Team (WWII)
1943–44 No team (WWII)
1944–45 No team (WWII)
1945–46 No team (WWII)
Robert Mott (California Collegiate Athletic Association) (1946–1947)
1946–47 Robert Mott 4–14 0–10 6
Mott: 4–14
Ed Jorgensen (California Collegiate Athletic Association/Independent) (1947–1966)
1947–48 Ed Jorgensen 12–13 1–9 6
1948–49 Ed Jorgensen 12–12 2–8 6
1949–50 Ed Jorgensen 13–15 3–6 4
1950–51 Ed Jorgensen 22–9 6–4 3
1951–52 Ed Jorgensen 14–16 6–3 2
1952–53 Ed Jorgensen 21–6 6–4 3
1953–54 Ed Jorgensen 11–11 4–6 4
1954–55 Ed Jorgensen 13–13 5–3 1
1955–56 Ed Jorgensen 15–12 4–4 1
1956–57 Ed Jorgensen 12–11
1957–58 Ed Jorgensen 8–17
1958–59 Ed Jorgensen 16–9
1959–60 Ed Jorgensen 15–9
1960–61 Ed Jorgensen 13–10 5–5 4
1961–62 Ed Jorgensen 16–6 6–5 4
1962–63 Ed Jorgensen 11–13 4–8 5
1963–64 Ed Jorgensen 4–14 1–9 6
1964–65 Ed Jorgensen 8–17 1–9 6
1965–66 Ed Jorgensen 8–16 3–7 5
Jorgensen: 222–229
Stuart Chestnut (California Collegiate Athletic Association) (1966–1969)
1966–67 Stuart Chestnut 12–11 4–7 5
1967–68 Stuart Chestnut 10–12 5–9 5
1968–69 Stuart Chestnut 7–19 4–8 6
Chestnut: 29–42
Neale Stoner (California Collegiate Athletic Association) (1969–1972)
1969–70 Neale Stoner 13–13 2–6 5
1970–71 Neale Stoner 17–11 6–2 2 College Division West Third Place
1971–72 Neale Stoner 17–9 5–3 1T
Stoner: 47–33
Ernie Wheeler (California Collegiate Athletic Association) (1972–1986)
1972–73 Ernie Wheeler 13–13 4–5 4
1973–74 Ernie Wheeler 18–10 8–2 1 NCAA D-II West Third Place
1974–75 Ernie Wheeler 15–11 2–6 5
1975–76 Ernie Wheeler 14–14 2–8 6
1976–77 Ernie Wheeler 18–10 7–3 1 NCAA D-II Elite Eight
1977–78 Ernie Wheeler 17–10 7–3 2
1978–79 Ernie Wheeler 13–14 3–9 6
1979–80 Ernie Wheeler 22–7 9–3 1 NCAA D-II West Second Place
1980–81 Ernie Wheeler 24–8 10–3 1T NCAA D-II Final Four
1981–82 Ernie Wheeler 20–6 10–4 2 NCAA D-II West Second Place
1982–83 Ernie Wheeler 21–10 8–6 4
1983–84 Ernie Wheeler 20–8 8–6 4
1984–85 Ernie Wheeler 16–11 5–9 6
1985–86 Ernie Wheeler 23–6 12–2 1 NCAA D-II West Fourth Place
Wheeler: 254–124
Steve Beason (California Collegiate Athletic Association/American West Conference) (1986–1995)
1986–87 Steve Beason 19–10 10–4 1T
1987–88 Steve Beason 17–10 9–5 3
1988–89 Steve Beason 14–12 6–8 6
1989–90 Steve Beason 19–9 9–5 3
1990–91 Steve Beason 14–14 6–6 4
1991–92 Steve Beason 19–8 7–7 5T
1992–93 Steve Beason 9–17 3–11 8
1993–94 Steve Beason 9–16 3–9 7
1994–95 Steve Beason 1–26 0–6 4
Beason: 393–167
Jeff Schneider (American West Conference/Big West Conference) (1995–2001)
1995–96 Jeff Schneider 16–13 5–1 1
1996–97 Jeff Schneider 14–16 7–10 5 (West)
1997–98 Jeff Schneider 14–14 7–9 2 (West)
1998–99 Jeff Schneider 11–16 6–10 5 (West)
1999–00 Jeff Schneider 10–18 5–11 5 (West)
2000–01 Jeff Schneider 9–19 3–13 8
Schneider: 74–96
Kevin Bromley (Big West Conference) (2001–2009)
2001–02 Kevin Bromley 15–12 9–9 6T
2002–03 Kevin Bromley 16–14 10–8 4
2003–04 Kevin Bromley 11–16 6–12 8
2004–05 Kevin Bromley 5–22 3–15 10
2005–06 Kevin Bromley 10–19 7–7 3
2006–07 Kevin Bromley 19–11 9–5 2T
2007–08 Kevin Bromley 12–18 7–9 6
2008–09 Kevin Bromley 7–21 3–13 9
Bromley: 95–133
Joe Callero (Big West Conference) (2009–2019)
2009–10 Joe Callero 12–19 7–9 6
2010–11 Joe Callero 15–15 10–6 2
2011–12 Joe Callero 18–15 8–8 4
2012–13 Joe Callero 18–14 12–6 3 CIT First Round
2013–14 Joe Callero 14–20 6–10 7 NCAA Tournament Second Round
2014–15 Joe Callero 13–16 6–10 6
2015–16 Joe Callero 10–20 4–12 7
2016–17 Joe Callero 11–20 6–10 7
2017–18 Joe Callero 9–21 4–12 8
2018–19 Joe Callero 6–23 2–14 9
Callero: 126–183
John Smith (Big West Conference) (2019–2024)
2019–20 John Smith 7–23 4–12 9
2020–21 John Smith 4–20 1–15 10
2021–22 John Smith 7–21 3–12 10
2022–23 John Smith 8–25 1–18 11
2023–24 John Smith 4–28 0–20 11
Smith: 30–117
Total: 340–595

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NBA players

NBA Draft picks

Year Round Overall Team Player
1978 10 199[23] PHX Lewis Cohen[24]

Other notable pro alumni

  • Cal Poly's Shawn Lewis (23) defends against San Diego State during a 51-45 loss to the 10th-ranked Aztecs in December 2010.
    Cal Poly's Shawn Lewis (23) defends against San Diego State during a 51-45 loss to the 10th-ranked Aztecs in December 2010.
  • Cal Poly's home basketball arena, Mott Athletics Center, is pictured in September 2018.
    Cal Poly's home basketball arena, Mott Athletics Center, is pictured in September 2018.

References

  1. ^ "Cal Poly Athletics Brand Guidelines" (PDF). February 9, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  2. ^ "From the Dirt Courts to the Big Dance". gopoly.com. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  3. ^ "Cal Poly Men's Basketball Season-by-Season Overall and Conference Records" (PDF). gopoly.com. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  4. ^ "2021-22 NCAA Men's Basketball Records". NCAA.org. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  5. ^ ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game. United States: Ballantine Books. 2009. p. 110. ISBN 9780345513922.
  6. ^ Zarrabi, Nima (June 1999). "The Wizard of Woz". SLAM. Vol. 6, no. 34. New York, NY: Petersen Publishing. p. 19.
  7. ^ Hartman, Sid (April 14, 2001). "Baseball in state on shaky ground". Minneapolis (Minn.) Star Tribune (METRO ed.). pp. 03C.
  8. ^ "Cal Poly wins Big West Tourney as 7th seed". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  9. ^ Benne, Jon (March 16, 2014). "Cal Poly dancing for the first time". SBNation.com. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  10. ^ Thomas, Justin. "Champion-Shipley Week: Cal Poly dancing after Hebron product's winning 3-pointer". Star Local. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  11. ^ "Cal Poly vs. Texas Southern - Game Recap - March 19, 2014 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  12. ^ "ESPN.com: NCB - Utah State holds off Cal Poly for Big West title". ESPN. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  13. ^ "49ers in the big dance". San Bernardino Sun. March 11, 2007. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  14. ^ Milne, Brian (March 15, 2003). "A Fairy-Tale Final - Poly Downs UCSB, NCAA Bid Now on the Line". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. C1.
  15. ^ Milne, Brian (March 10, 2007). "Poly One Victory From History - Cal Poly Storms to a 25-Point Big West Tournament Semifinal Victory Over Cal State Fullerton to Contend for First-Ever NCAA Tournament Berth". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. D1.
  16. ^ Steers, Dennis (March 16, 1981). "Poly in final four: Packed house sees Mustangs beat Penmen". San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune. pp. B-1.
  17. ^ Neimand, Cameron (November 21, 2017). "Reminiscing on Nwaba's time as a hometown hero with the Lakers". Silver Screen and Roll. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  18. ^ "Cavaliers Sign David Nwaba". Cleveland Cavaliers. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  19. ^ "David Nwaba Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  20. ^ "Official NBA bio of David Nwaba". NBA.com. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  21. ^ "David Nwaba Player Profile, Houston Rockets - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  22. ^ "The Big West Men's Basketball Player of the Week". bigwest.org. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  23. ^ The Official NBA Encyclopedia (3rd ed.). Doubleday. 2000. p. 338. ISBN 0385501307.
  24. ^ "Poly cager drafted by Suns". San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune. June 12, 1978. pp. A11.