Cal Poly Defeats UC Irvine 79-73 in Big West Matchup

Guzman Vasilic leads Mustangs with 18 points in conference win

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The Cal Poly Mustangs defeated the UC Irvine Anteaters 79-73 in a Big West Conference basketball game on Thursday night. Guzman Vasilic scored a team-high 18 points for the Mustangs, who improved their record to 10-16 on the season. Derin Saran and Jurian Dixon each scored 19 points to lead the Anteaters, who dropped to 16-9 overall.

Why it matters

This Big West Conference matchup between two California schools highlights the competitive nature of the conference, as the Mustangs were able to pull off an upset victory over the higher-ranked Anteaters. The win could provide a boost for the Mustangs as they look to improve their standing in the conference standings.

The details

Cal Poly's Guzman Vasilic led all scorers with 18 points, while also grabbing 5 rebounds. Austin Goode added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Mustangs, and Cayden Ward chipped in 15 points. For UC Irvine, Derin Saran and Jurian Dixon each scored 19 points, and Kyle Evans recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 13, 2026.

The players

Guzman Vasilic

A player for the Cal Poly Mustangs who scored a team-high 18 points in the game.

Austin Goode

A player for the Cal Poly Mustangs who scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Cayden Ward

A player for the Cal Poly Mustangs who scored 15 points.

Derin Saran

A player for the UC Irvine Anteaters who scored a team-high 19 points.

Jurian Dixon

A player for the UC Irvine Anteaters who scored 19 points.

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The takeaway

This game showcased the competitive nature of the Big West Conference, as the lower-ranked Cal Poly Mustangs were able to defeat the higher-ranked UC Irvine Anteaters. The win could provide a boost for the Mustangs as they look to improve their standing in the conference standings.