Unlike the Cal game three nights earlier when San Jose State (3-7) had trouble getting open looks at the basket against the Pac-12 Conference preseason favorite, the Spartans were able to set their feet along the perimeter, take good shots inside the paint and drive to the basket with a chance for a positive result. Yet, San Jose State made only 24.4 percent of its field goal tries, slightly better than the 20 percent mark at Cal.

            "We're not making shots. We were under 30 percent for the second game in a row. We got open looks tonight," said San Jose State head coach George Nessman whose team dropped its third game in eight nights.  

            Center Matt Ballard was the only Spartan to make more than half his field goal tries. Ballard's only shot attempt was San Jose State's first basket of the game.

            Early on, it looked like James Kinney was bouncing back from an 0-for-12 shooting at Cal with a couple of first-half baskets as the Spartans led 14-10 with 6:40 remaining before halftime. Kinney, the Spartans' leading scorer at 16.1 per game, finished 3-of-13 from the field for 8 points.

            Cal Poly (6-3) turned the game in its favor with reserve guard Matt Titchenal, the grandson of former San Jose State football head coach the late Bob Titchenal, who hit a couple of three-point baskets as part of an 11-0 Mustang spurt.

            Titchenal, a senior, finished with a career-high 16 points. It was the first time he scored in double figures for Cal Poly. He was 4-of-4 from 3-point range and 6-of-7 from the field.

            "Give Coach Nessman credit. They ran zone and a match-up against us. Their defense gave us trouble," said Cal Poly coach Joe Callero. "Matt came off the bench and nailed down a shot or two. Also, I thought he gave us a little more quickness and length at the perimeter. San Jose State has some good shooting guards and that was part of our game plan."

            The Spartans played well enough defensively to win. Cal Poly had its second lowest point total of the season and made just 33.3 percent of its field goal attempts.

            San Jose State's Keith Shamburger was the game's high scorer and the only Spartan in double figures with 19 points, 16 in the second half. He scored San Jose State's last seven points - all from the free throw line.

            The Spartans played with guard Calvin Douglas who missed the game due to an ankle injury he incurred in the December 7 loss at Cal.

            "Calvin is a huge weapon for us because he stretches the opponent's defense. Teams can't compress their defense on us when he's in the game. We're hoping to have him back for the UC Davis game (on December 20)," said Nessman.

             Lavanne Pennington made his first start of the season and was scoreless in 16 minutes of action. He was 0-for-6 from the field.