Preview: Cal Poly at Cal State Northridge Women’s Basketball

LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Two Big West Conference teams seeking to halt extended slides will meet Thursday when the Cal State Northridge Matadors host the Cal Poly Mustangs in a women’s basketball matchup at the Matadome.

Both teams enter on significant losing streaks. Cal Poly (3-18 overall) has lost eight consecutive games since its last win on Jan. 3. Cal State Northridge (6-14) has dropped seven straight, with its last victory coming against these same Mustangs in San Luis Obispo on Jan. 8, a 77-68 decision.

That prior meeting will factor heavily into the rematch’s storyline. The Matadors rallied from a halftime deficit to win, led by a balanced scoring attack that overcame a strong performance from Cal Poly’s Charish Thompson.

Thompson, a focal point for the Mustangs, scored 15 points in that January loss. She is coming off one of her best games of the season, a 20-point, 9-rebound effort in a narrow 70-66 loss to UC Riverside on Jan. 31. Over her last seven games, the guard has averaged 12.6 points.

Cal State Northridge will counter with guard Erika Aspajo, who contributed 10 points and three assists in the first matchup. Aspajo is also arriving off a 20-point performance, dishing six assists in an 82-67 loss at UC San Diego on Jan. 31. Her scoring has been volatile, however, with outings of 20 points twice in January bookended by several single-digit performances.

The game features the conference’s two lowest-ranked teams, making it a critical opportunity for either to build momentum for the final month of league play. Cal Poly’s struggles are pronounced, having lost 15 of its last 16 games, with the lone win in that stretch being the Jan. 3 victory over Long Beach State. The Mustangs have been held under 62 points in all eight games during their current skid.

Cal State Northridge has faced similar offensive challenges during its streak, failing to reach 70 points in any of the seven losses. Defense and rebounding, areas where both teams have struggled consistently, will likely determine Thursday’s outcome.

Following this game, Cal Poly will host UC Davis on Saturday. Cal State Northridge will travel to face UC Riverside on the same day.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST Thursday at the Matadome on the campus of Cal State Northridge.