Preview: Cal State Bakersfield at Cal Poly in Big West Women’s Basketball

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking to reverse difficult seasons will meet Thursday when the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners visit the Cal Poly Mustangs in a Big West Conference women’s basketball game.

The matchup at Robert Mott Gymnasium pits struggling squads. Cal State Bakersfield enters at 6-13 overall, while Cal Poly sits at 3-16. Both have found conference play challenging, with the Roadrunners 1-5 in the Big West and the Mustangs 1-4.

Cal State Bakersfield looks to snap a two-game skid after a 64-52 home loss to Hawaii last Thursday. Guard Morgan Hawkins, a key player for the Roadrunners, averages 7.9 points and 4.1 assists in conference games. She is coming off a 14-point, 9-assist performance in a loss at UC San Diego on Jan. 17.

The Mustangs have lost four straight, most recently a 73-41 defeat at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. They will rely on forward Charish Thompson, who scored a season-high 20 points in Cal Poly’s last victory, a 63-49 win over Long Beach State on Jan. 3. Thompson is averaging 12.4 points per game in Big West play.

Offensive consistency has been an issue for both teams. Cal Poly has been held under 55 points in three of its last four games. Cal State Bakersfield has shown flashes, including a 75-48 win over Long Beach State on Jan. 10, but has also been held to 59 points or fewer in four of its seven conference contests.

The game represents a critical opportunity for each team to secure a rare conference win and build momentum. The Roadrunners won the last meeting between the programs. They will conclude the regular season against each other in Bakersfield on March 7.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST.