Cal Poly comeback falls short in 71-67 loss to USF

Posted: Dec 18, 2012 10:17 PM by Andrew Masuda
Updated: Dec 18, 2012 10:56 PM

Cal Poly comeback falls short, Mustangs lose 71-67 to USF

Ariana Elegado's potential game-tying three-point shot hit the back of the rim and the University of San Francisco defender grabbed the rebound to seal the Dons' 71-67 win in Mott Gym on Tuesday night over the Cal Poly women's basketball team.

The Mustangs dropped their second-straight game to open their three game homestand and fell to 5-5 overall. The Dons improved to 7-4 overall.

Cal Poly erased a 17 point first half deficit to take a one point lead 51-51 with 12:16 to play in the game on a 3-point bucket from Kayla Griffin. Elegado added a jumper from the corner to extend the lead to three points, Cal Poly's largest of the game, with 10:53 to play.

The two teams went back and forth until the Dons pulled away in the final ninety seconds. Cal Poly had two chances to tie the game with threes, but missed. The Mustangs made just 3 of their 14 shots from beyond the arc for a 21 percent clip.

Brittany Woodard led the Mustangs with 15 points to go with 7 rebounds. Elegado finished with 14 points, while Righetti High graduate Molly Schlemer came off the bench to score 13 points. Schlemer played 17 minutes and was a perfect 6 for 6 from the floor to go with 2 blocked shots. Griffin scored 7 points, pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds and swatted 3 shots.

As a team, Cal Poly shot 38 percent and outrebounded the Dons 42-40. Jonae Ervin led the Mustangs with 6 assists.

Three Dons scored in double figures. Mel Kholk led USF with 18 points, while Aundrea Gordon added 17 and Taylor Proctor scored 13 points. The Dons shot 40 percent from the floor and made 6 of 12 from three-point range. They also sealed the game at the free throw line, where they hit 17 of 24 (71%) for the game.

Cal Poly closes out the homestand Thursday night against Loyola Marymount at 7pm before opening Big West Conference play in the New Year.