Highlanders Edge Mustangs in Thrilling Finish
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 7:00 PM ET · Mott Athletics Center
UC Riverside Highlanders 88, Cal Poly Mustangs 84, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won UC Riverside Highlanders vs Cal Poly Mustangs?
UC Riverside Highlanders beat Cal Poly Mustangs 88-84 at Mott Athletics Center on December 6, 2025.
Who was favored in UC Riverside Highlanders vs Cal Poly Mustangs?
Cal Poly Mustangs were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -250 (about 71% implied). The underdog won.
In a tightly contested matchup, the UC Riverside Highlanders defeated the Cal Poly Mustangs 88-84 at Mott Athletics Center on December 7, 2025. This victory marks a significant moment for UC Riverside, who improved their record to 6-5, while Cal Poly fell to 5-7. The game showcased a back-and-forth battle, with both teams demonstrating offensive prowess, but ultimately, the Highlanders managed to secure the win in the final moments.
Both teams entered the game with similar records, with Cal Poly holding a 5-6 record and UC Riverside at 5-5. In their last ten games, the Mustangs had a record of 5-5, with a recent streak of two consecutive wins, averaging 82.7 points scored per game while allowing 86.1 points. In contrast, the Highlanders had a record of 4-6 in their last ten games, currently on a two-game losing streak, averaging 74.3 points scored and allowing 74.8 points.
At home, Cal Poly had a record of 2-1, while their away record stood at 3-4. UC Riverside, on the other hand, had a home record of 2-2 and an away record of 2-4. This fixture was particularly interesting as it marked the fourth meeting between the two teams in the 2025 season, with Cal Poly leading the head-to-head record 2-1 prior to this game. Their previous encounters included a high-scoring affair on February 22, where Cal Poly triumphed 112-100 at home.
The injury situation for both teams was not detailed in the block, but it is always a crucial aspect in determining a team's performance in such close games. The market had priced Cal Poly as the favorites, with DraftKings listing the Mustangs at -5.5 on the spread and a moneyline of -250. UC Riverside was positioned at +205 on the moneyline, reflecting the competitive nature of the matchup.
The game conditions were typical for a December evening in California, with no significant weather factors affecting play. Fans were treated to an exciting atmosphere as both teams battled for supremacy in front of a passionate crowd.
As the game unfolded, it was clear that both teams were capable of explosive scoring. The final moments were particularly thrilling, with Andrew Henderson of UC Riverside making crucial plays that sealed the victory. He contributed significantly with a series of free throws and a layup that pushed the Highlanders ahead in the final minutes. The scoring plays highlighted the intensity of the match, with both teams exchanging leads frequently.
Overall, this game was a showcase of competitive college basketball, with both teams demonstrating their offensive capabilities. The Highlanders' ability to capitalize on key moments in the second half ultimately led them to victory, while the Mustangs will look to regroup and bounce back in their upcoming games.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | CP -5.5 | 162.5 o -105 / u -115 | UC Riverside Highlanders +205 · Cal Poly Mustangs -250 |
Leaders
- PointsHamad Mousa31Cal Poly Mustangs
- AssistsHamad Mousa4Cal Poly Mustangs
- ReboundsHamad Mousa9Cal Poly Mustangs
- PointsAndrew Henderson28UC Riverside Highlanders
- AssistsMarqui Worthy Jr.4UC Riverside Highlanders
- ReboundsAndrew Henderson9UC Riverside Highlanders
Recent form
Cal Poly Mustangs
Last 10: 5-5Streak W282.7 scored · 86.1 allowed per game2-1 at home
- W94-91at Cal State Fullerton TitansDec 5
- W87-81vs Redlands BulldogsNov 30
- L68-84vs Southeast Missouri State RedhawksNov 26
- L87-93at Northern Arizona LumberjacksNov 25
- W92-85at Utah UtesNov 21
- L82-90at Montana GrizzliesNov 15
- L79-93at Colorado State RamsNov 13
- W73-71at Seattle U RedhawksNov 9
- W101-79vs Pacific Lutheran LutesNov 6
- L64-94at USC TrojansNov 4
UC Riverside Highlanders
Last 10: 4-6Streak L274.3 scored · 74.8 allowed per game2-4 away
- L60-73at UC Irvine AnteatersDec 5
- L69-77at Utah Tech TrailblazersNov 29
- W83-74vs Grambling TigersNov 24
- W85-71at San Diego TorerosNov 22
- L57-80at California Baptist LancersNov 19
- L74-76vs North Dakota Fighting HawksNov 15
- L68-82at New Mexico LobosNov 12
- W74-70at North Dakota Fighting HawksNov 7
- W90-49vs La Sierra Golden EaglesNov 4
- L83-96vs Cal Poly MustangsMar 14
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC Irvine | 23-12 | - | 15-5 |
| Hawai'i | 24-9 | 1 | 14-6 |
| UC San Diego | 23-11 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Cal State Northridge | 20-14 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Cal State Fullerton | 18-16 | 3 | 12-8 |
| UC Davis | 19-14 | 4 | 11-9 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 18-14 | 4 | 11-9 |
| Cal Poly | 14-19 | 5 | 10-10 |
| Long Beach State | 10-22 | 9 | 6-14 |
| UC Riverside | 10-22 | 10 | 5-15 |
| Cal State Bakersfield | 8-24 | 13 | 2-18 |
Box score
| Stat | UC Riverside Highlanders | Cal Poly Mustangs |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 34-63 | 27-57 |
| Field goal % | 54 | 47 |
| Three-pointers | 4-18 | 9-29 |
| Three-point % | 22 | 31 |
| Free throws | 16-24 | 21-26 |
| Free throw % | 67 | 81 |
| Rebounds | 32 | 34 |
| Offensive rebounds | 9 | 10 |
| Defensive rebounds | 23 | 24 |
| Assists | 8 | 12 |
| Steals | 3 | 2 |
| Blocks | 2 | 0 |
| Turnovers | 5 | 13 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 13 | 5 |
| Fast-break points | 19 | 7 |
| Points in the paint | 52 | 36 |
| Fouls | 25 | 18 |
| Largest lead | 17 | 3 |
| Lead changes | 5 | 5 |
| Time in front | 82 | 14 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half64-50Andrew Henderson made Layup.
- 2nd Half64-51Cayden Ward made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half66-51Marqui Worthy Jr. made Layup.
- 2nd Half66-53Hamad Mousa made Layup.
- 2nd Half67-53Andrew Henderson made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half68-53Andrew Henderson made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half70-53Andrew Henderson made Layup.
- 2nd Half70-54Ali Assran made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half70-55Peter Bandelj made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half70-56Peter Bandelj made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half70-57Peter Bandelj made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half70-60Peter Bandelj made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Troy Plumtree.
- 2nd Half72-60Dylan Godfrey made Layup. Assisted by Osiris Grady.
- 2nd Half72-62Cayden Ward made Layup.
- 2nd Half72-63Cayden Ward made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half73-63Andrew Henderson made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half74-63Andrew Henderson made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half74-65Cayden Ward made Dunk.
- 2nd Half75-65Osiris Grady made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half75-66Hamad Mousa made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half75-67Hamad Mousa made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half75-69Hamad Mousa made Layup.
- 2nd Half77-69Andrew Henderson made Jumper.
- 2nd Half77-70Cayden Ward made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half79-70Osiris Grady made Dunk.
- 2nd Half79-72Peter Bandelj made Layup.
- 2nd Half80-72Jailen Daniel-Dalton made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half80-75Hamad Mousa made Three Point Jumper.
- 2nd Half80-78Hamad Mousa made Three Point Jumper.
- 2nd Half81-78Marqui Worthy Jr. made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half81-79Hamad Mousa made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half81-80Hamad Mousa made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half83-80Andrew Henderson made Layup.
- 2nd Half83-82Ali Assran made Layup. Assisted by Hamad Mousa.
- 2nd Half84-82Andrew Henderson made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half85-82Andrew Henderson made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half85-84Ali Assran made Layup.
- 2nd Half86-84Osiris Grady made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half87-84Osiris Grady made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half88-84Andrew Henderson made Free Throw.
Win probability
Above the line favours Cal Poly Mustangs, below favours UC Riverside Highlanders.
Venue
- Mott Athletics CenterSan Luis Obispo, CA
- Attendance1443
- OfficialsRick Crawford, Martin Cichocki
Elsewhere
- Carson Crawford, No. 46 in '27 class, commits to Arizona St.
- Tennessee's Ralph Scott to have knee surgery, out at least 6 months
- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
- Transfers, recruits and roster moves for key men's NCAA basketball teams
- Michigan 5-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. (knee) to miss season
- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond