Wednesday, March 12th, 11:30 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Anaheim Convention Center Arena (7,734) -- Anaheim, California. Television: None. Home Record: UCR 8-5, Cal Poly 7-5. Away Record: UCR 0-15, Cal Poly 4-11. Neutral Record: UCR 0-0, Cal Poly 1-1. Conference Record: UCR 4-12, Cal Poly 7-9. Series Record: UC Riverside leads, 37-35.

GAME NOTES: Two teams looking for their first-ever Big West Conference title will collide this evening when the sixth-seeded Cal Poly Mustangs take on the seventh-seeded UC Riverside Highlander in first round action at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena. The Highlanders struggled throughout most of the season and finished with a mere 8-20 ledger. UCR tallied a meager 4-12 mark in league action, but the team was able to close out its schedule with a 3-3 record in its last six games. As for the Mustangs, they closed out their regular-season with five losses in their last eight games. The struggles down the stretch left Cal Poly with a 7-9 record in BWC competition. The Mustangs are virtually new to the Big West tournament, and have collected a 4-6 record over the past few seasons. In terms of the all-time series between the two schools, the Highlanders own a slim, 37-35 edge over Cal Poly. During this year the two teams split the season series, with both schools winning on their home floor.

The Highlanders were the worst team in the Big West at the offensive end of the court, as the team comes into the postseason averaging 59.7 ppg, while shooting 42.3 percent from the floor. Larry Cunningham is the only player producing double figures on the season, as the guard is posting 15.9 ppg. However, Cunningham has struggled with turnovers, committing 70 mistakes against just 38 assists. Aaron Scott has been the main scoring threat in the paint for UCR, as the forward is posting 8.2 ppg to go along with a team-high 5.6 rpg. At the defensive end of the floor, opponents are shooting 458 percent against UCR, but the Highlanders have held teams to just 67.6 ppg.

The Mustangs have also struggled to find a groove offensively, as the team is producing just 63.5 ppg, while shooting a mere 40.7 percent from the floor. The Mustangs also stumbled from behind the arc, netting just 29.4 percent of their three-point attempts. Trae Clark is only shooting 39.5 percent from the field on the year, but is still pacing the team with 10.5 ppg. Clark is also leading the team with a solid 3.6 apg. Lorenzo Keeler is the only other player posting double figures for Cal Poly, as the guard is chipping in 10.3 ppg, despite shooting a woeful 35.7 percent from the floor. Defensively, the Mustangs have been decent, surrendering 69.3 ppg, while allowing the opposition to shoot 44.7 percent from the floor.

Considering all the problems both teams have suffered offensively, this will likely be a low-scoring affair. The Mustangs have a slight edge, and are much better on the glass, which should pay dividends in this contest.

Predicted Outcome

Cal Poly 69, UC Riverside 63