Cal Poly Wins Shootout With Vikings, 92-87

Salem-News.com SPORTS

San Luis Obispo, Calif. - The Cal Poly Mustangs won a three-point shootout with the Portland State Vikings in a non-conference game at Mott Gymnasium, 92-87.

Ultimately, Cal Poly won the game by hitting 8-10 free throws in the final 33 seconds.

However, the Mustangs rode a career-best effort from Derek Stockalper, which included 37 points and nine three-point field goals.

The Mustangs hit 14 of 35 three-point field goals in the game, while the Vikings made 11-24.

The win was the fifth in six games for the Mustangs, who improved to 13-10 on the season.

The Vikings, who lost the ESPN BrackBuster contest, dropped to 16-12 overall, and have lost three of four.

Cal Poly will return to Portland State next preseason as part of the game arrangement.

Stockalper, a senior guard hit six first-half three-pointers and scored 22 points to stake the Mustangs to a 38-34 lead at the break.

Portland State trailed 18-6 after the first six minutes, but scratched back into it over the next 14 minutes.

Paul Hafford came off the bench to score a team-high 11 points in the half to aid in that comeback.

Hafford teamed with Juma Kamara and Dupree Lucas to mount a strong second-half that eventually gave the Vikings the lead. PSU went ahead 54-53 on a three-pointer by Hafford just six minutes into the half.

The Viking lead grew to its largest at 63-57 on a free throw by Deonte Huff midway through the half.

But Stockalper and his mates kept scoring as well.

Stockalper had 15 in the second half and teammate Titus Shelton did the inside work, also scoring a career-high with 20 points.

A Shelton bucket at the seven-minute mark tied the game at 67-67.

PSU never led again, but three three-pointers by Hafford inside the final two minutes kept the Vikings close.

Hafford hit a three to make it 86-83 Cal Poly with 27 seconds left.

After two Mustang free throws, Hafford hit another three, and it was 88-86 with 18.5 seconds left.

But the Mustangs hit four more free throws in the closing seconds while the Vikings could only manage one more point.

Hafford finished with 23 points - his third 20-point game of the year. He hit a career-high 7-13 from three-point range.

Lucas scored 18, with 14 coming in the second half. Kamara finished with 15 points.

Stockalper hit 9-14 from three-point range anf 13-20 overall on his way to 37 points

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