CS Northridge got the stop it needed at the end and walked out with a 97-96 win over Cal Poly on February 6, 2026, in a one-possession game that turned into a sprint. In a matchup between teams trending in opposite directions entering the night, the Matadors (13-10) held off the Mustangs (9-14) in a near-wire-to-wire shootout where every empty trip mattered.

What happened

The story was simple and brutal: 40 minutes, no overtime, and Cal Poly still couldn’t find the extra point. With both teams pushing the score toward triple digits, the margin for error shrank to nothing. CS Northridge did just enough late to preserve the 97-96 final and leave Cal Poly chasing a single possession that never flipped.

Turning point

In a one-point game, the turning point is rarely a single highlight — it’s the accumulation of surviving the final sequence. CS Northridge’s ability to finish the night ahead on the scoreboard, even by the thinnest possible margin, was the difference. Cal Poly’s late push made it a possession game, but the Matadors held on when the game demanded one last clean defensive stand.

What it means going forward

CS Northridge: The Matadors added a tight road win to a solid overall résumé at 13-10, continuing a positive stretch after entering the game in strong form (WWLLW). In games like this, composure becomes a skill — and Northridge banked a result that can matter in a crowded conference race where close finishes often decide positioning.

Cal Poly: For the Mustangs, now 9-14, the loss is the kind that lingers because it was there to be taken. Coming in at WWLLL, Cal Poly needed a stabilizing result; instead, it absorbed another narrow defeat in a game where the offense did enough to win, but the final possession math didn’t break its way.

Game details

League: NCAA (2025-26 season)
Date: February 6, 2026
Venue: TBD
Final: CS Northridge 97, Cal Poly 96