Less than a minute remained on the clock as Peter Bandelj skipped on the right wing, sizing up the UC San Diego defense while waiting for a screen.

As he attacked downhill he got the switching Triton on his back, and the help defense was too late and Bandelj laid in the game winner in front of a raucous Mott faithful.

The Mustangs (6-9, 2-1 Big West) took a 67-65 victory over a Tritons (11-3, 1-1 Big West) squad that looked completely different than the last time the teams faced off.

UC San Diego lost all five starters from last season, and head coach Eric Olen to New Mexico. 

But under new head coach Clint Allard, the Tritons have kept most of their momentum from that 2024-25 Big West Championship and subsequent NCAA Tournament appearance.

Cal Poly and UC San Diego played each other mostly even through the first twenty minutes of the game, with the Tritons entering the break with just a three-point lead.

But the Tritons were the far more efficient team, with slower possessions and more scoring options overall. UC San Diego got 20 points from their bench, and Bol Dengdit was an interior force that was causing the Mustangs issues.

Cal Poly, on the other hand, were getting their shots early and often, with two-thirds of their shots coming  from beyond the arc and guard Hamad Mousa leading the game with 17 points.

Coming out of the break both teams struggled to break the seal on the basket, good shots that would not fall for either side. Cal Poly finished the game shooting 35% from the field, and just 26% from beyond the arc.

“I know we didn’t shoot how we wanted to shoot,” Mousa said. “The boys kept battling and kept playing hard to the end to get the victory.

Hamad Mousa has continued to be a key contributor in Mike DeGeorge’s offense, adding 26 points against the Tritons. Credit: Léa Bourges-Sevenier / Mustang News

Things started to turn with around eight minutes to go, with both teams trading baskets with Mousa and making threes to keep swinging the momentum back and forth with UC San Diego.

With 30 seconds left Cal Poly had possession down one, Bandelj waited for a screen on the right wing before attacking the rim with a layup to put the Mustangs up by one.

UC San Diego had a chance to take the lead back, but a missed post fadeaway and subsequent Cal Poly rebound left just 1.4 seconds on the clock.

Cayden Ward hit the back end of his two free throws to push the lead to two, the Tritons couldn’t get a clean look on the hail mary pass and the Mustangs started 2026 with a 67-65 victory.

“We really like this team, and we think they have tremendous potential,” head coach Mike DeGeorge said. “Arguably now we have the three best wins. Winning at Seattle, winning at Utah and beating UC San Diego tonight.”

Mousa ended with a game-high 26 points with Bandelj adding 15. The Mustangs turned the ball over only nine times, which was just the fifth time they have finished with single-digit turnovers under DeGeorge.

The win snapped a five game skid against the Tritons, and also the Tritons 16-game win streak over Big West opponents.

Cal Poly will look to continue their winning ways as they go to Long Beach to face the Beach, on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the Walter Pyramid at 6 p.m.