Cal Poly Women's Basketball Loses Close Game to Cal State Bakersfield

Mustangs squander 17-point lead in 62-58 defeat

Jan. 31, 2026 at 7:31pm

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The Cal Poly Women's Basketball team held a 17-point lead in the first quarter against Cal State Bakersfield, but the Roadrunners fought back in the second half to win the close game 62-58. Sophomore guard Vanessa McManus led the Mustangs with 18 points and 8 rebounds, while freshman forward Dulci Vail added a season-high 17 points and 7 rebounds.

Why it matters

This loss extends Cal Poly's losing streak to six games, making their upcoming matchup against UC Riverside an even steeper challenge as they try to break out of their slump. The Mustangs had a strong start but were unable to hold onto their lead, highlighting their struggles to maintain momentum and close out games.

The details

Cal Poly jumped out to a 17-point lead in the first quarter, but Cal State Bakersfield slowly chipped away at the deficit, outscoring the Mustangs by 9 points in the third quarter to take a 2-point lead heading into the fourth. The Roadrunners held onto that lead down the stretch, sealing the win with free throws in the final seconds.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 1, 2026.
  • Cal Poly led by 17 points in the first quarter.
  • Bakersfield outscored Cal Poly by 9 points in the third quarter to take a 2-point lead.
  • With just 5 seconds left, Bakersfield made free throws to extend their lead to 62-58.

The players

Vanessa McManus

A sophomore guard for the Cal Poly Women's Basketball team who led the Mustangs with 18 points and 8 rebounds.

Dulci Vail

A freshman forward for the Cal Poly Women's Basketball team who scored a season-high 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.

Cal State Bakersfield

The opponent, a Division I basketball team that plays in the Big West Conference.

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What they’re saying

“This was a tough loss, but we'll learn from it and come back stronger against UC Riverside on Saturday.”

— Vanessa McManus, Sophomore Guard

What’s next

The Mustangs will take on UC Riverside on Saturday, February 3, 2026 as they look to break their six-game losing streak.

The takeaway

Despite a strong start, the Cal Poly Women's Basketball team was unable to hold onto their lead against Cal State Bakersfield, highlighting their struggles to maintain momentum and close out games during their current losing skid. The Mustangs will need to regroup quickly before their next matchup against UC Riverside.