Cal Poly Basketball: 20-Point Run Sends Hawaii Women to 71-54 Win; Men’s Feb. 19 Preview Favors Rainbow Warriors

In the latest stop on the Big West calendar, the University of Hawaii women used a 20-point run bridging the first and second quarters to roll to a 71-54 victory at Mott Athletics Center in San Luis Obispo — a result that matters in the conference picture and for cal poly basketball narratives heading into a separate men’s matchup preview on Feb. 19.

Cal Poly Basketball: Wahine’s big run, late collapse define the game

The women’s game tilted decisively when Hawaii ripped off a 20-point burst that erased an early Cal Poly advantage. The Mustangs opened with the first six points and led 14-7 with 3: 46 left in the first quarter, but failed to score again until the 6: 46 mark of the second quarter as the Wahine seized control.

Imani Perez ignited the sequence with a 3-pointer and finished 4-for-5 from long range, scoring 14 points overall and delivering several momentum-changing shots in the first half. Ritorya Tamilo tied the score with a layup and converted a free throw to give Hawaii its first lead; Perez’s second-quarter 3 extended the margin to 24-14, and a fast-break trey by Rebecca Moors completed the pivotal run at 27-14.

Bailey Flavell led the winners with a team-high 15 points, while Saniyah Neverson added 14 and Tamilo contributed 13. For Cal Poly, Charish Thompson finished as the game-high scorer with 22 points. The victory improved Hawaii’s conference record to 9-6 and 15-10 overall, marking their third straight win and ninth in the last ten games. Cal Poly’s women dropped to 1-15 in conference play and 3-23 overall.

Men’s Feb. 19 preview: how the matchup shapes and what bettors are keying on

A separate men’s preview for the Feb. 19 matchup between Hawaii and Cal Poly frames the Rainbow Warriors as a strong favorite and highlights contrasting team profiles. Hawaii’s home form and defensive metrics are emphasized as the foundation for that view, and the first meeting between the teams already ended in an 86-66 road win for Hawaii.

Previews list Cal Poly with roughly 11 wins on the season (records are cited as 11-15 in one preview and 11-16, 7-8 Big West in another). Cal Poly’s offensive identity is clear: high-volume 3-point shooting. The Mustangs are noted among national leaders in three-point makes and attempts, taking more than 32 3-point attempts per game and making around 11, with individual marks placing the team near the top nationally in 3FGM and 3FGA. Hamad Mousa is identified as the team’s primary scorer, averaging about 20. 0 points and around six rebounds per game, while Peter Bandelj is flagged as a primary playmaker.

Hawaii’s projected edge centers on defense and limiting opponent shot creation. Defensive metrics in previews include a points-per-possession figure near 0. 921 (ranked among the top five nationally in those assessments) and an opponent-assist figure close to 9. 1 per game. Tempo comparisons note Cal Poly’s faster possession rate (around 77. 9 possessions) versus Hawaii’s (approximately 74. 3), leaving the door open for pace but favoring the team that defends better. Turnover profiles also appear: Cal Poly is cited at roughly 15. 7 turnovers per game while Hawaii is near 13. 9.

Betting models and handicappers referenced in previews push a sizable gap: one model places Hawaii near -15. 2, and a published pick favors Hawaii in the -10. 5 range (with playability toward -11. 5). The common thread in these outlooks is that Cal Poly’s three-point reliance and defensive vulnerability create variance that, while enabling upsets, also magnifies the impact of Hawaii’s defensive stops and home-court advantages.

Implications and what to watch next

The Wahine’s emphatic run at Cal Poly shifts momentum in the women’s Big West pecking order, while the men’s matchup narrative remains framed by Hawaii’s defensive strength versus Cal Poly’s perimeter-heavy offense. For cal poly basketball observers, the immediate takeaways are clear: the women’s program needs sustained offensive answers to avoid long scoring droughts, and the men’s team must limit turnovers and defend the arc to make the Feb. 19 game competitive. Previews and models suggest the margin will favor Hawaii, but the matchup still hinges on whether Cal Poly can turn its three-point volume into efficient scoring without self-inflicted possession losses.

Schedule and line movement remain subject to change; further developments may refine these assessments ahead of the next meetings on the Big West slate.