The Cal Poly Mustangs and the San Francisco Dons meet Tuesday in college basketball action from War Memorial Gym. Here’s a San Francisco vs Cal Poly prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best San Francisco vs Cal Poly pick.
Cal Poly Mustangs Betting Preview
The Mustangs are coming off a forgettable season in 2023-24. Cal Poly went just 4-28 with a dismal 0-20 run in the Big West. The Mustangs landed in last place by seven games behind CSU Fullerton and didn’t notch a win after December 21.
With John Smith out, Mike DeGeorge takes over head coaching duties after a stint at Colorado Mesa. DeGeorge gets two starters back from last year and will bring an up-tempo style to the team. Graduate point guard Jarred Hyder (10.3 PPG) is the top returning scorer.
San Francisco Dons Betting Preview
Over on the San Francisco side, they managed a 23-11 overall run last year with an 11-5 effort in the West Coast for a third-place conference finish behind St. Mary’s and Gonzaga. The Dons fell to Gonzaga in the conference tourney, then lost to Cincinnati in the first game of the NIT.
The Dons will retain three starters in head coach Chris Gerlufsen’s third season at the helm. Key names like Mike Sharavjamts (Utah transfer) and Jonathan Mogbo (NBA Draft) have departed, however, and will leave some significant scoring holes.
Why the San Francisco Dons will win
- Cal Poly has lost each of its last 20 games.
- San Francisco has won each of its last 10 games against non-Conference opponents at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
- Cal Poly has lost the first half in each of its last 11 road games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Why the Cal Poly Mustangs will win
- San Francisco has lost four of its last five games.
- San Francisco has lost the first half in four of its last five games.
Total Points Facts
- Fourteen of San Francisco’s last 15 games against non-Conference opponents have produced a total of 148 or fewer points.
- Each of Cal Poly’s last eight Tuesday games against non-Conference opponents have produced a total of 148 or fewer points.
Matchup/League Facts
- San Francisco ranked 2nd among Division 1 teams for opponent blocks per game last season (2.0).
- San Francisco ranked 10th among Division 1 teams for opponent rebounds per game last season (30.3).
- Cal Poly ranked 358th among Division 1 teams for rebound percentage last season (44.8%).
- Cal Poly ranked 357th among Division 1 teams for assists per game last season (9.8).
San Francisco vs Cal Poly Prediction
I might take a stab at Cal Poly. The Mustangs will have a significantly different look this year, and they’ve only got one direction to go (up) in the conference standings. Cal Poly has added some intriguing newcomers like Owen Koonce (13.2 PPG) who will keep the tempo fast and the scoring chances frequent. Size will be an issue, however, as the Mustangs will get pushed around by some of the bigger teams.
As for San Francisco, they’ve got a decent frontcourt and enough returning chemistry to be able to stay effective right off the bat here. That said, if the Mustangs can stay vigilant and get some shots to fall early I think they could power out a cover in this opener.