Box Score Riverside—The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team scored the final five points of regulation to force overtime Saturday evening, but Cal Poly scored six of the first seven points in the extra stanza en route to an 84-77 victory.
The loss drops the Highlanders (5-10) a half game behind Cal Poly (5-9) and into eighth place in the Big West. That would give UC Riverside the seven seed if the tournament began today pending the outcome of Hawai'i's appeal to the NCAA. The Rainbow Warriors are supposed to be serving a one-year ban from postseason play this year, but the NCAA has not rendered a final decision on the appeal.
2016-17 Big West
Men's Basketball Standings |
| Seed |
Team |
W |
L |
| 1 |
UC Irvine |
10 |
4 |
| 2 |
UC Davis |
10 |
4 |
| 3 |
Cal State Fullerton |
8 |
5 |
| 4 |
Long Beach State |
8 |
7 |
| 5 |
Hawai'i (not currently eligible for postseason) |
7 |
6 |
| 6 |
CSUN |
7 |
7 |
| 7 |
Cal Poly |
5 |
9 |
| 8 |
UC Riverside |
5 |
10 |
| 9 |
UC Santa Barbara |
3 |
11 |
|
x |
|
|
|
Hawai'i vs. Cal State Fullerton game from 2/25 not included |
|
|
The Highlanders led by eight, 69-62, with 6:25 remaining in the second half, when Cal Poly ran off 12 straight points. UC Riverside missed all three of their shots from the field during that 4:34 stretch, and committed four turnovers.
UCR turned the tables over the final 1:41 as the Mustangs missed four shots and committed one turnover on their final three possessions of regulation. Alex Larsson's layup with 28 seconds to go tied the score at 74 and sent the game into overtime.
Secean Johnson made one of two free throws on the Highlanders first possession of overtime to out UC Riverside back on top, 75-74, but Kyle Toth and Victor Joseph drained back-to-back threes to give Cal Poly a lead they would never relinquish.
Joseph led all scorers with 26 points, and Donovan Fields added 22 for the Mustangs. Joseph and Toth combined to make 10 of 16 shots from three-point range on the night.
Johnson paced the Highlanders with a season-high 20 points, and Menno Dijkstra tied his career high with 17 points.
The Highlanders host front-running UC Irvine on Wednesday, March 1 in their final game of the regular season. Tip is slated for 7 pm PT, and UC Riverside will honor its three seniors in a ceremony prior to tip.
