FULLERTON, Calif. (Interstat) — A struggling Cal Poly team seeks a reversal of fortune when it visits Cal State Fullerton in a Big West Conference women’s basketball matchup Saturday at Titan Gymnasium.

The Mustangs (3-14, 1-3 Big West) enter on a three-game skid, including a 46-86 loss at Hawaii on Jan. 15. Their season has been marked by offensive struggles, failing to reach 70 points in all but two games. The Titans (9-9, 2-2), meanwhile, are coming off an 83-71 home victory over UC Riverside, showcasing a more potent attack.

Cal Poly will lean on guard Vanessa McManus, who has been a bright spot amid the losses. She is averaging 18.1 points per game in conference play, including a 31-point performance in a loss to Cal State Northridge on Jan. 8. In the Jan. 15 defeat at Hawaii, McManus scored 22 of her team’s 46 points.

Cal State Fullerton counters with its own high-scoring guard in Cristina Jones. She dropped 22 points in the win over UC Riverside and is averaging 20.1 points in Big West contests. Jones’s scoring consistency has been key for a Titans squad that has shown resilience, with four of its nine wins coming by five points or fewer.

The recent series has been lopsided in favor of Fullerton. In the teams’ first meeting this season on Dec. 4, the Titans routed the Mustangs 96-64 in San Luis Obispo. Cal Poly has not defeated Fullerton since the 2021-22 season.

For the Mustangs, finding secondary scoring behind McManus is imperative. In the loss to Hawaii, only two other players scored more than six points. The Titans, who feature a more balanced offense with supporting players like Madelynn Muniz and Kya Pearson, will look to exploit Cal Poly’s defensive vulnerabilities; the Mustangs have allowed 80 or more points in seven games this season.

Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon. Cal Poly continues its road trip at Cal State Bakersfield on Jan. 29. Cal State Fullerton remains at home to host UC Santa Barbara on Jan. 31.