Bandelj breaks 3-point record as Cal Poly opens Big West play

Big West play officially tipped off Thursday night, and Cal Poly entered the conference slate looking like a team ready to turn last year’s breakthrough into something more sustainable.

The Mustangs (5-5, 1-0 Big West) beat Cal State Fullerton in their opening conference game, 94-91.

​Last season, Cal Poly (16-19, 8-12 conference) made its way to the Big West Championships for the first time since 2014 and reached the semifinals after starting the season staring at an 0-8 hole in conference play.

The Mustangs now return with a rebuilt roster and the memory of how close they came to making things interesting in late March.

​Head coach Mike DeGeorge’s second year brings eight newcomers, including four international additions who’ve helped reshape the rotation and raise the ceiling.

​“We were really trying to recruit players that fit the prototype we are looking for; long, versatile guys that can do a bit of everything,” DeGeorge told The Tribune at the beginning of the season.

Early tests shape Cal Poly’s non-conference identity

​Through the early stretch of the schedule, Cal Poly sat at 4-5 (non-conference) after navigating a six-game road swing and experimenting with its lineup as the group finds its identity.

That opening month included two tough tests against defending conference champions: Big Sky winner Montana and Mountain West champion Colorado State, both of which resulted in losses.

​But the Mustangs also picked up one of their biggest wins in program history, knocking off Big 12 Utah for their first victory over a Big 12 opponent in 76 years.

Newcomers, returners and a global core lead the way

​Sophomore guard Hamad Mousa from Dayton has been the team’s offensive engine so far, averaging 19.3 points per game and leading Cal Poly from beyond the arc. He scored a career-high 27 points in the Big West opener.

​Freshman forward Ali Assran has also settled into an important role early in his career, impacting the game more with his rebounding and rim protection than scoring. The 6-foot-9 Cairo native leads the Mustangs with six rebounds per game and has a team-high nine blocks, providing a steady interior presence as he develops his offensive game.

He arrived in San Luis Obispo from NBA Academy Africa, a Senegal-based program built to develop top international prospects. Adjusting to the American style of play, he said, has been “different.”

“I feel like here (In the U.S.) everybody can do everything,” Assran said. “It’s not like that overseas. If I’m big, I’m going to stay in the post, but here, everybody has to do everything.”

Assran told The Tribune that Cal Poly felt like the right fit, a place where coaches were clear he could help the teams win right away.

Cal Poly’s roster looks more global than ever this season, beyond Mousa and Assran. The Mustangs feature players from nine different countries, a total surpassed nationally only by UT Martin’s 13.

​The international spread also includes Austin Goode (Canada) out of North America; Guzman Vasilic (Uruguay) representing South America; a trio from Europe in Luka Tarlac (Serbia), Peter Bandelj (Slovenia) and Jess Esso Essis (France), plus Troy Plumtree (New Zealand) representing Oceania.

​Alongside the newcomers, Cal Poly also returns eight players from last season’s postseason run. Sophomore guard Bandelj led the way against Fullerton, exploding for a career-high 37 points while shooting 9-for-10 from beyond the arc, breaking the team’s single-game record with the most three-pointers in a game.

​The Mustangs wrap up their early conference stretch on Saturday against UC Riverside at 4 p.m. in Mott Athletics Center.

After that, they’ll step back into their non-conference slate, including a road trip to UCLA on Dec. 19 and a home game against Idaho on Dec. 21, before Big West play resumes for good on Jan. 1 when Cal Poly hosts UC San Diego and the push toward March begins in full.

​“The biggest change is that people are starting to believe it’s possible here,” DeGeorge said at the beginning of the season. “Expectations change if you just do your job right and have a plan. We really do think that we have a quality team that can play at a really high level,” he added.

​Last season’s playoff run, which saw the Mustangs beat UC Davis and UC Riverside before falling to UC Irvine in the title game, reset expectations for what Cal Poly basketball could look like.

Now, with a deeper roster, the Mustangs finally have the chance to build on it from the start instead of climbing out of an early hole.

Their opening win over Fullerton is just one result, but it suggests something important: this group expects to be in the mix again.

This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 10:55 AM.