Cal Poly took down UC Irvine 79-73 on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2026, turning a matchup that leaned toward the visitors on paper into a six-point home win. The Mustangs entered at 10-16 but played to the scoreline of a team with postseason urgency, while UC Irvine (16-9) left with a loss that interrupts its recent upward form.
What happened
The game stayed in control for Cal Poly at the finish line, with the Mustangs closing out a 79-73 decision. With no overtime and no period-by-period scoring available, the cleanest takeaway is the shape of the result: Cal Poly won the possession battle at the scoreboard level by creating just enough separation to keep UC Irvine from leveling late.
Turning point
The defining swing was Cal Poly’s ability to build and protect a margin that held through the final horn. In a game decided by six, every empty trip mattered; Cal Poly’s finishing sequence was the difference between a tight loss and a résumé win.
Context that matters
This result also lands differently because of where both teams were coming from. Cal Poly’s recent form (WLLWW) suggested it was already stabilizing, and this win reinforces that trajectory. UC Irvine arrived with a stronger overall record (16-9) and a recent run of LLWWW, but this loss snaps the clean continuation of that bounce-back stretch.
What it means going forward
For Cal Poly, beating a 16-win opponent is the type of outcome that can recalibrate confidence and sharpen late-season goals, especially for a team sitting below .500. For UC Irvine, the loss is less about one night and more about the need to avoid giving away games to teams trending upward—because those are the ones that punish lapses with 40 minutes of pressure.
Final score
Cal Poly 79, UC Irvine 73
Venue: TBD