Cal Poly gives up halftime lead over UCLA as Bruins pull away for 108-87 win

In a game where Cal Poly men’s basketball looked capable of hanging with Big Ten foe UCLA for the first half, the second half told a different story.

The Mustangs (5-8, 1-1 Big West) traveled to Pauley Pavilion on Friday night to face the Bruins (9-3, 1-0 Big 10) as they entered the final stretch of non-conference play ahead of Big West competition.

After a competitive first half that saw Cal Poly even take a lead into the break, the Bruins pulled away, handing the Mustangs a 108-87 loss at home, where UCLA remains unbeaten this season.

For the first 20 minutes, the Mustangs were poised and competitive, shooting 58% from the field while trading leads with the Bruins. Cal Poly never trailed by more than five points in the first half and closed the period heading into the locker room up 45-43.

Coming out of the break, however, the Bruins flipped the game with a 15-0 run to open the second half.

What began as a quick 6-0 spurt snowballed as UCLA pushed the pace in transition and converted consistently at the rim. The overwhelming push seized control of the game, leaving the Mustangs scrambling to recover.

The biggest swing came early. Cal Poly committed multiple turnovers in the opening minutes of the second half, and UCLA made the Mustangs pay for every one of them.

The separation came from UCLA’s ability to dictate the terms of the game after halftime, forcing Cal Poly into tougher decisions and costly turnovers after seeing where their money lay.

A significant portion of Cal Poly’s turnovers stemmed from UCLA’s defensive pressure, narrowing the margin for error and steadily tilting the game out of reach.

Meanwhile, the perimeter shooting that was a lifeline for Cal Poly in the first half was quickly erased after the break.

The Bruins did a better job neutralizing the weapon that had kept Cal Poly alive early. The Mustangs shot 53% from beyond the arc in the first half, including a perfect 3-for-3 showing from Peter Bandelj.

That success, however, didn’t carry over in the second half.

UCLA tightened its perimeter defense, closing passing lanes and contesting shots more aggressively. This was all to keep Cal Poly out of rhythm and force the Mustangs into tougher looks.

As UCLA’s defense tightened, its offense remained equally effective. Balanced scoring across the lineup kept the pressure on and prevented Cal Poly from finding a way back into the game.

UCLA’s ability to spread the scoring was a key factor in the win, with six players finishing in double figures.

Skyy Clark led the Bruins with 30 points, shooting 50% from three-point range. With scoring coming from multiple spots on the floor, UCLA was able to maintain offensive pressure as the game wore on.

UCLA’s second-half offensive approach emphasized attacking the paint, putting Cal Poly in difficult defensive situations that led to more fouls and frequent trips to the free-throw line.

The Bruins controlled the interior throughout the half, outscoring Cal Poly 42-24 in the paint as the game shifted away from perimeter scoring.

For Cal Poly, Cayden Ward paced the offense with 21 points while shooting 50% from the field. Bandelj finished with 17, while Hamad Mousa totaled 14 points and Kieran Elliott score 13, his best totall of the season so far.

Cal Poly will close its non-conference schedule with one final game against Idaho at Mott Athletics Center on Dec. 21 before turning its focus fully to Big West play.

This story was originally published December 19, 2025 at 11:16 PM.