SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Fans will get their first opportunity to watch the 2012-13 Cal Poly men's basketball team during the annual Green and Gold intersquad exhibition game on Saturday, October 27 at 5:00pm.
The new look Mustangs feature 14-players on the roster, including two returning starters and six letterwinners from last season. The game will also be the first opportunity for fans to see a "new look" Mott Gym as well. The venerable facility will now feature new NBA-style baskets and new courtside seating.
The Mustangs will kick off the regular season on Friday, November 9th when they travel to TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. The first regular season home game will be on Thursday, November 15th versus Northern Colorado. For more information, please see story below.
Story provided by Cal Poly Media Relations
Cal Poly men's basketball fans will receive their first competitive look at the 2012-13 Mustang squad when the program hosts its annual Green and Gold intrasquad exhibition matchup on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. inside Mott Gym.
Cal Poly's 14-player active roster will be halved for the 40-minute officiated contest. The Green team, overseen by Mustang assistant coaches Mitch Freeman and Sam Kirby, will comprise junior forward Chris Eversley, junior guard Kyle Odister, freshman guard Reese Morgan and freshman forwards Zach Allmon, Joel Awich, Zach Gordon and Josh Hall. The Gold squad, directed by Mustang assistant coach Omar Lowery and director of operations Mitch Reaves, will be composed of senior guards Chris O'Brien, Dylan Royer and Drake U'u, junior guard Jamal Johnson, freshman forwards Brian Bennett and Anthony Silvestri and freshman guard Max Betkowski.
"I'm looking forward to the Green and Gold game to measure our conditioning level, our leadership and our early understanding of offensive options," said fourth-year Mustang head coach Joe Callero, whose Mustangs will have enjoyed 12 official fall practice sessions prior to Saturday's intrasquad contest. "Our zone defense will take a few more weeks to really implement, but Saturday will provide us a look at the system."
Saturday's exhibition will also mark the first time that Mustang fans will have the opportunity to enjoy Cal Poly's new courtside seating arrangement and standing baskets inside Mott Gym.
The intrasquad matchup serves as Cal Poly's only public tuneup prior to the 2012-13 regular season opener at TCU on Friday, Nov. 9. Cal Poly's home opener against Northern Colorado is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. inside Mott Gym.
Overall, Cal Poly returns two starters and six letterwinners from a 2011-12 squad that produced 18 victories (the program's highest total in five years) and advanced to the semifinals of the Big West Tournament for the first time since the 2006-07 season. Defensively, the 2011-12 Mustangs ranked sixth among NCAA Division I programs in opponent rebounds per game (29.1), 24th in opponent points per game (60.5) and 28th in rebounding margin (plus-5.5). Also one of the more efficient programs in Division I, the Mustangs ranked 12th last year with just 10.6 turnovers per game.
