Issuu

Monday, Febr uar y 2, 20 15

E s t abl ished 19 16

w w w.mus t angne w s .net

The college textbook bubble, and the student who tried to pop it Savannah Sperry In an era where digital content flows almost boundlessly, the college textbook industry is among a marginal few who have remained insulated from the trend of easier and less expensive access to information. According to The College Board, the estimated cost of textbooks and course-related supplies for the typical student at a fouryear public university is $1,200 per year. This expense isn’t included in tuition — it’s an added cost. Environmental management freshman Dan Canella took matters into his own hands with his creation of The Great Cal Poly Textbook Repository, a Reddit page consisting of PDF forms of Cal Poly textbooks — until he was forced to take the site down. “It’s a captive market. You have no other option. You must have a textbook or, you

@SavannahJSperry know, good luck passing your class,” Canella said. “And they know that. They know that there’s nowhere else you can get it from. You have to go through the publisher, your university store or Amazon, and they all want to make more money so they’re not going to just voluntarily do the right thing and give affordable prices and it’s just, I don’t know, greed? Who knows.” Weeks after the Reddit post was made, Canella received a letter from a law firm representing several major publishing companies, including Cengage, McGraw-Hill, Pearson and Elsevier, asking him to take the page down.

see REDDIT, pg 3.

JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NE WS OUTSIDE THE LINES | Students saved money by getting course materials from The Great Cal Poly Textbook Repository on Reddit at the beginning of winter quarter, but Canella’s PDF sharing system wasn’t legal.

After meningitis diagnosis, Cal Poly students at low risk Brenna Swanston @brenna_swanston

Cal Poly students are at low risk of contracting bacterial meningitis after a university administrator was diagnosed with the infection earlier this week, San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department health officer Penny Borenstein said. The administrator worked on campus but had no direct contact with the student population, Borenstein said. Meningitis only spreads through in-person contact. “The individual has to spread germs by way of droplets, which come from sneezing or coughing,” Borenstein said. The department has contacted all individuals who may have been exposed to the infection, recommended preventative treatment to them, advised them on meningitis symptoms and has communicated with administration officials that Cal Poly’s student population is not at risk. The department is committed to notifying the administration if anything changes.

see MENINGITIS, pg 3.

FILE PHOTO | MUSTANG NE WS

The Second City to bring in Smile and Nod members for PAC show Annie Vainshtein @annievain

As part of its 55th anniversary tour, internationally renowned comedy troupe The Second City will perform at the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Sunday, Feb. 8. The Chicagoan comedy troupe, notable for launching powerful alumni such as Tina Fey, Steven Colbert and Will Ferrell into the comedy world, will join forces with Smile and Nod — Cal Poly’s own improvisation comedy troupe — to finish off the 7 p.m. show. Four Smile and Nod members — Brandon Cunnane, Dillon Jones, Miko Vespremi and Dalton Varvell — were selected through an inteam vote to perform with the award-winning comedy troupe at its upcoming show. Two other Cal Poly students, Tarun Chigurupati and Jonathan Grishpul, have also been invited onstage. LISA WOSKE | COURTESY PHOTO FUNNY STUFF

| Chicago-based comedy troupe The Second City will pull six Cal Poly students onstage at its Feb. 8 PAC performance.

see CITY, pg 4.

News... 1-3 | Arts... 4-5 | Opinion... 7 | Classifieds... 8 | Sports... 9-10

Monday, February 2, 2015

NEWS | 2

IAN BILLINGS | MUSTANG NE WS

Second residence hall evacuated, UPD investigation to follow Kyle McCarty & Benjy Egel @KyleMMcCarty @BenjyEgel

The San Luis Obispo Fire Department responded to a concern of something in the air in Fremont Hall on Saturday. Two women reported a “pins and needles” feeling in their throats, Fire Chief Garret Olson said. One of the women had light symptoms that went

away, so paramedics didn’t check her, according to paramedic Ryan Vaughn. The other woman’s symptoms went away, but the tingling sensation in her throat came back. She was checked and cleared, but she asked her friends to take her to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center. All residents were evacuated while Fremont Hall was searched. The fire department checked the residence hall with air monitors. Olson said the first check revealed no troublesome

readings, and he wasn’t sure what the substance was. Olson said the fire department will work with university administration and the University Police Department (UPD) to investigate what caused Saturday’s and last week’s incidents. UPD Chief George Hughes is the fire department’s public safety contact at Cal Poly. The investigation will not be a criminal investigation, Olson said, and they will check to see if there were any maintenance procedures occurring at the time of the incident.

A new chemical or new process could be causing the reaction, Olson said. He also noted that it is cold and flu season, and said people might be more sensitive to symptoms after last week’s incident in Santa Lucia Hall. While sweeping Fremont Hall, firefighters found a canister of mace in a trash can. It may be related to the women’s’ discomfort, and UPD is currently investigating the situation, Cal Poly spokesperson Matt Lazier said in an email.

Monday, February 2, 2015 REDDIT continued from pg 1.

NEWS | 3

time at which the book is ordered: “buying a book at the height of the season or last minute adds to the book’s expense,” the release read. The letter, Canella said, demanded he delete The Great Cal According to the release, the Poly Textbook Repository and any Cal Poly university store has copies of textbooks he had, giving made strides to make textbook options cheaper for students. him a week to comply lest legal Among many efforts listed on sanctions be taken against him. “Within a day I complied with the release were “Cutting our margins to be more competieverything they asked me to do and deleted the webpage,” tive,” “Working with faculty to Canella said. get their book orders in Using his own collection early to take advantage of textbook PDFs and of lower pricing” reaching out to other and “Increasing students to collect the quantities more, Canella had as well as easuploaded more than ing up on the 100 PDF files to the condition of It’s a captive market. You have Reddit page before the books we no other option. You must have a it was deleted. buyback.” Professors also Te x t b o o k textbook or, you know, good luck feel a strain from buybacks are passing your class. requiring students made for up to 50 percent to purchase expenof the original sive course materials. DAN CANELLA purchase price, Political science proENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT fessor Chris Den Hartog according to the reFRESHMAN is often approached by textlease. Buyback prices book sales representatives to use are determined by the condition of the book and their books for his student-heavy American government class. whether or not faculty will con“I get emails and knocks on the that might be appealing,” Den tinue using the book in the next school term. doors from publisher’s sales reps Hartog said. Ellen Curtis, Cal Poly Corporaconstantly — I mean constantly,” “Know that if you buy your Den Hartog said. tion director of marketing and book at the University Store Publishers may offer professors communication, wrote a press that your money goes back into teaching incentives for using release to Mustang News on the supporting the University. (The their textbooks. topic of courseware available from same isn’t true of purchasing a “Many of the book publishers the University Store. book on Amazon or at other when they’re trying to get me to According to the press release, retailers.) Also, the more books use their book will say, ‘Hey, this the cost of a textbook is deter- bought at the University store book comes with all of these great mined by a variety of factors in- means more books are likely features like a text bank and pre- cluding the publisher’s costs, the to be bought back and availwritten class slides and materials,’ book’s availability and the age of able for the next student,” the so they’re trying to make it as au- the book. release states, “It’s a pay it fortomatic as possible for someone to The cost is also dependent on the ward scenario.”

MENINGITIS continued from pg 1. “At this point, we’ve done all we can do,” Borenstein said. No other cases have been brought to the department’s attention since the original di-

teach the class,” Den Hartog said. Den Hartog has no intention of making his teaching style ‘automatic.’ “For me, I don’t want it to be automatic because I know how I want to teach it and I don’t want to teach it their way. I can imagine some people who teach a class that’s not really their expertise and

agnosis. Borenstein said new infections would typically show up three to four days after contact, 10 days at the longest. By last Friday, 10 days had passed for anyone who may have been exposed on campus, she said. “I don’t anticipate any spread,

given we’re at the end of the incubation period,” Borenstein said. The public health department is unaware of where the diagnosed administrator contracted the infection, she said. As much as 1 percent of the general population carries the disease in their nasal

JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NE WS TEXTBOOKS | Canella, an environmental management freshman, created The Great Cal Poly Textbook Repository.

passages, but those carriers are usually unknown. “It tends to be a disease that just pops up sporadically,” Borenstein said. A vaccine for this particular strain of meningitis — called Neisseria meningitidis — is avail-

able and highly recommended for all college students because they tend to live in close quarters, Borenstein said. Cal Poly’s Health Center offers a meningococcal vaccine during nursing hours for $115. As of last Wednesday, the di-

agnosed administrator was in stable condition. Borenstein said she was not yet updated on the patient’s current status. She advised anyone with questions about the disease to call the health department’s general phone number, (805) 781-5500.

Monday, February 2, 2015

ARTS | 4

LISA WOSKE | COURTESY PHOTO

SHY TOWN MEETS SLO | The Second City is known for launching the successful careers of famous comedians such as Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Will Ferrel and Ryan Stiles. CITY continued from pg 1. Biological sciences senior Dillon Jones, who has been on the team since his freshman year, said the selection process was sparked per The Second City’s request. “They contacted Smile and

Nod saying they wanted four people to do it,” Jones said. “And while traditionally things like this have mostly gone to seniority, we ended up voting.” The Second City also contacted Cal Poly Arts Director Steve Lerian and said they were interested in writing material specific to San Luis Obispo.

“Students can expect to hear references to things like Bubble Gum Alley, Madonna Inn and Mustangs,” Lerian said. The Second City will perform its sketch sets and then invite the four Smile and Nod members and two members from the Theatre and Dance Department onstage for a 15-minute “jam,”

or a collaborative comedic improv set. Jones said he never thought he would have had the opportunity to perform with “possibly the biggest name in improv,” and while he is a little nervous to perform with professionals, he’s also excited for the opportunity.

Cunnane, a mechanical engineering senior who has been on the team for as long as Jones, said he is elated to be chosen and is trying not to overthink preparation for the show. “Improv’s really a skill, not a rehearsed thing,” Cunnane said. “You get better at it over time — I think it’ll be really great because

I’m assuming they’re all going to be really, really good at improv.” Tickets are available through Associated Students, Inc. and can be purchased at the door at 20 percent off regular price for students. Lerian said tickets are running short, but there will likely be a few rush tickets available the day of the show.

Roberta Flack to pack the PAC with soul Frances Griffey @cpmustangarts

Roberta Flack will come to the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Wednesday, Feb. 4, with a performance of her signature

soulful jazz and pop sound. Flack’s reputation precedes her — she’s a Grammy Award winner and one of the most well-known 1970s musicians. Cal Poly Arts Director Steve Lerian praised Flack as a fantastic vocalist.

“We often like to bring artists from other eras who still have great performance chops,” Lerian said. “It’s a nostalgic kind of thing for community audiences.” Flack is slated to perform some of her newer music. How-

ever, Lerian highlighted the importance of hearing her classics, such as, “The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face),” “Feel Like Making Love” and “The Closer I Get to You.” “Any time you can see someone who has had 10 Gram-

my Awards and has No. 1 sellers, there’s obviously a reason she has that legacy and you want to see her while she’s still performing,” Lerian said. “Her voice has held up. It’s a great opportunity to get a glimpse of someone who

is a classic.” Tickets are on sale now. Depending on seat location, prices range from $48-$91 for adults and $37.40-$72.80 for Cal Poly students. The performance begins Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC.

@cpmustangnews

Monday, February 2, 2015

ARTS | 5

JASMINE MCDERMOTT | COURTESY PHOTO

TO THE WA LL | Z Living Systems installed this living wall in Playa Vista, California last year. The walls are meant to promote relaxation and eco-friendliness in business environments. Kelly Trom @kttrom

The average American spends 90 percent of their life indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and this fact was enough to inspire Cal Poly alumnus Robert Zacks to start his own company, Z Living Systems. The San Luis Obispo-based company plans, designs, builds and maintains “living walls” for businesses and residential buildings. By installing plants such as grasses, lamium, ajuga, philodendron and maranta into exterior and interior walls, Z Living Systems can help others improve not only the aesthetics of a space but also the state of mind of those who live and work there. “The vision for Z Living Systems is to infuse nature back into the places we live, work and play,” Zacks said. “Cities have become places filled with concrete and pollution. We want people to feel the refreshment and reap the benefits of simply incorporating greenery into the built environment.”

The idea occurred to Zacks while visiting Europe’s vertical gardens, and upon his return to the United States, he started building prototypes in his parents’ backyard. He began looking for a business partner and applying for a spot in the accelerator program at the SLO HotHouse, a space that encourages students and community members to create new innovations and start business ventures. He was introduced to fellow Cal Poly alumnus Jasmine McDermott, and together they worked on customer development of their product through the accelerator. Before McDermott came on board, Zacks had to do all of the work himself, including sales and marketing, project management and continued product development. “I learned that you want to build a business instead of being the business,” Zacks said. “Building a business means that you can step away from it and everything still functions. Being the business means that the business is solely dependent on you and it leads to you taking on everything.”

Now, Zacks is in charge of the more technical aspects of the company, while McDermott manages the marketing and overall vision of the company. The two also work with an advisory board from the HotHouse, a horticulturist and certified maintenance crews. “Our day-to-day is everchanging, which keeps it fun and interesting,” McDermott said. “I think that is part of being a startup is that you are

contractors to oversee the actual building of the living wall at the client site as well as procuring the plants at a nurser y. But once those processes are done, Z Living Systems still works with the client to make sure the plants and irrigation systems are maintained. “Oftentimes, there isn’t a whole lot of knowledge that living walls exist,” McDermott said. “It’s usually not the client that is ap-

THE AVERAGE AMERICAN SPENDS 90 PERCENT OF THEIR LIFE INDOORS

handling a lot of different tasks. It could be one day where we are onsite installing and checking in and another day we could be getting a call from a client and getting a proposal ready.” Zacks and McDermott work with their clients to identify the goals and challenges of the project as well as work with designing the structural design, specific plants they want to use and irrigation layout. They then work alongside

proaching us saying they want a living wall, but the architect who is the visionary and recommends a living wall to their client.” Living walls can help buildings meet qualifications for sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere. These categories can translate to LEED credits. LEED is the most widely used green building rating system. It helps companies publicly certify that they reduce stress on the environments and are energy- and

resource-efficient. Living walls can also help clean the air of a building as well as relax the workers who spend a lot of time indoors. “There is a reason that people go outdoors, whether they go take a hike or go to the beach,” McDermott said. “It is relaxing. Providing plants in an indoor space gives people that same feeling of relaxation. They also help clean the air, they help with energy saving and can help fuel a building.” Zacks and McDermott are well on their way to their original vision of educating people about living walls and helping to make buildings more environmentally friendly. Jon York, head of the HotHouse and entrepreneurship program at Cal Poly, worked closely with them to make this happen. York is part of the advisory board for Z Living Systems and has seen Zacks and McDermott grow in the process of building the company. “One of the things that was most important was that both of them knew how to work on a team and to put their egos aside

to find the best solution to any problem they were working on,” York said. “Too many students fall in love with their own idea and spend so much time defending that idea that they never let it improve or morph into the right direction.” Zacks and McDermott were able to adapt to the changes the mentors suggested in the accelerator program, which allowed them to recently complete a project at The Resort in Playa Vista. Z Living Systems installed a 1,200-square-foot wall that spanned both interior and exterior parts of the building. But the HotHouse is where their success really started. And the success will continue: Next up for Z Living Systems is a living wall in MINDBODY’s new building. “They learned to listen, ask good questions, rely on others and never just assume that they had the answer,” York said. “The answer to all startup questions lies outside the building. In other words, until you find out what your customers want, need and demand, you do not have a company.”

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OPINION | 7

The Kim Kardashian culture Liana Riley @CPMustangNews

Liana Riley is a political science sophomore and Mustang News columnist. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinion or editorial coverage of Mustang News. Kim Kardashian is smarter than you. As she sits on her throne made of Swarovski crystals and your childhood dreams, she meticulously plans out her next attack. This time she will be creating a real-life replica of her ass, which will yield a modest $500 million in sales. If you are as easily amused as I am, then you go nuts for the antics of the Kardashians. Anytime I tell people I respect Kim Kardashian they look at me as if I frequent in satanic worship (which I do). I believe she is far more than the succubus she is known to be. In her post-Ray J years, she has become the juggernaut of all things pop culture. Can you name any other high-profile celebs still profiting off of a sex tape? (And no, John Edwards doesn’t count). Her fame is commonly seen as a fluke; pure luck in the most undeserving of circumstances; the rich becoming obscenely richer. Au contraire! Every bit of it was thoroughly planned with devotion. Though sexual exploitation is not condoned in my book, Kim dominated her rise to fame. She took advantage of the public’s fascination with her and capitalized on her 15 minutes between the sheets. There wasn’t an inch of skin, personal boundary or relationship she left unexposed. Ethically, it’s objectionable. In Hollywood, it’s just business. Kim K. then built a brand — a lucrative, albeit exploitative brand — by throwing her genetically blessed kin into the mix. Their tawdry escapades have brilliantly piqued the public’s interest through an unprecedented amount of spin-offs, narcissistic Instagram posts and three highly profiled marriages. I often wonder, why do we resent Kim so deeply? Why do we play Kim Kardashian: Hollywood for two hours

Pop and circumstance and then proceed to relentlessly bash her on Twitter? Why do people passionately protest her profiteering more than any other celebrity? This is exactly what she wants, you simpletons. Kim loves her haters. Even if you despise Kim Kardashian as much as Justin Bieber likes to drive drunk, she is only a symptom, not the problem. The 21st century has ushered in a surplus of Kardashian-esque television, easy to make and easy to replace. The stars are botox-injected divorcees, F-list celebrities, and the cast of The Bachelor,

where straight white people go to find love. These people are caricatures, helping us escape our humdrum lives. It speaks volumes that we are heavily entertained by artificial narratives and revel in stupidity. The irony, however, lies in the omnipotence of this stupidity. As these shows actively deplete our brain cell count, we get a glimpse into the elusive wealth of the “Beverly Hills” Weezer once sang about. This intrigues us and provides pure entertainment value, the kind we will tune in weekly for. Kim Kardashian and her family have been profiting off this for years.

When we feel disgusted by Kim’s expenditures and $17 million wedding payout, we are actually feeding the monster. When we indulge, whether with hatred or fascination, we are sending her to the bank and onto our news feeds. Either laugh at her or with her. I choose the latter. Honestly, I’m still not convinced that she isn’t just a hologram engineered by Ryan Seacrest. This has been Liana Riley, hopeful that you have enjoyed my musings on the intricacies of the Kardashian Klan and looking forward to supplying you all with a heavy dose of my pop culture wisdom.

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Monday, February 2, 2015

SPORTS | 9

Men’s basketball comes up short in overtime at UC Davis Erik Chu

GLENN FEINGERTS | UC IRVINE ATHLETICS NO CIGAR | Junior forward Joel Awich’s 10 points were not enough to take down UC Davis.

Despite its best offensive performance of the season, the Cal Poly men’s basketball team (10-10, 3-5 Big West Conference) gave up an early first-half lead and eventually lost 81-78 on the road in overtime to conference co-leader UC Davis (16-4, 6-1). UC Davis entered the game undefeated at home and as the No. 1 3-point shooting team in the country. The Aggies also have star guard Corey Hawkins, the Big West’s leading scorer with 21.2 points per game. The Mustangs did not back down from the challenge and dominated the first half. Junior forward Brian Bennett finished the game with a career-high 27 points. He scored the Mustangs’ first eight points of the game to help build an early 16-9 lead. Bennett could not miss — he finished the half with 16 points. “Just being aggressive was my mentality going into the game,” Bennett said. “I knew that I could really make a difference tonight, and my teammates did a great job of finding me in the low post.” As a team, the Mustangs were on fire in the first half. They shot a seasonhigh 59.3 percent in the first half on 16-for-27 shooting and also took great care of the ball, only committing two turnovers. The Mustangs would lead by as many as 14 but would settle for a comfortable 40-30 lead going into halftime. “That was our best half of basketball,” Callero said. “We knew that we could play inside-out with Brian being so effective. We really started the game with the focus and intensity needed.” The Mustangs also did an excellent job of shutting down Hawkins, the Big West’s leading scorer. Emphasizing team help defense and physical play, the Mustangs held Hawkins to a mere seven points in the first half.

@chu_erik

However, the second half would be a much different story. The Aggies settled into an offensive rhythm and caught fire from deep. Multiple 3-pointers by Hawkins triggered an 11-1 run for the Aggies that brought them back into the game, down only 45-43 with 16:25 remaining. In need of a crucial basket, the Mustangs turned to Bennett in the low post once again. Bennett delivered and ended the Aggies’ run with a sweet turn-around jumper on the left block to give the Mustangs some breathing room with a 47-43 advantage. Hawkins would respond with a 3-pointer — his third of the evening — to bring the Aggies within one point of the Mustangs at 52-51 with 12 minutes to go. The rest of the game would be a frantic back-and-forth shootout. With UC Davis trailing 65-62, Aggies’ senior guard Josh Ritchart hit a 3-pointer off of a pick-and-pop that tied the game at 65 with 54.6 seconds remaining. The Mustangs had a great look to win the game in regulation. After junior wing David Nwaba drove in and drew multiple defenders, he made the unselfish play — kicking the ball out to sophomore guard Ridge Shipley at the top of the key. The Aggies defense then rotated and Shipley swung the ball to junior forward Joel Awich. Awich, who stood alone on the right wing, was unable to sink the potential game-winning shot. On the very first possession of overtime, Awich redeemed himself by tipping in a missed layup. He finished the game with 10 points and five rebounds. Defensively, the Mustangs continued to struggle defending the 3-point line. A deep 3-pointer by Aggies senior guard Avery Johnson gave UC Davis

a 72-71 lead with three minutes remaining. Awich continued to have a strong overtime by hitting a 3-pointer at the top of the key. His clutch shot kept the Mustangs in the game only down 76-74. Down three with 19 seconds, the Mustangs needed a three to extend the game to a potential second overtime. Running full-speed off of a Bennett screen, Shipley ran to the right corner, pump-faked and drew the foul while attempting a 3-pointer. With the chance to tie the game, Shipley missed the first free throw. Though he made the remaining two free throws, the Mustangs still trailed 79-78 with 5.5 seconds remaining. Shipley finished the game with 11 points and eight assists. Two Aggies free throws and a failed Nwaba half-court desperation shot that hit the back of the rim would seal the 81-78 victory for the Aggies. The loss drops the Mustangs to seventh place in the Big West standings. Despite the heart-breaking loss, the Mustangs probably played their best game all season. They shot a seasonhigh 49 percent on 30-for-61 shooting from the field, out-rebounded the Aggies 34-29, had 13 assists and only committed eight turnovers. “It obviously hurts right now, but when we look back at tonight’s game, we knew that we played well,” Bennett said. “We’ve got to keep on grinding. Eventually, these last-second shots are going to go in and we’re going to close these close games out.” “If we play this well against the conference leader on the road in such a hostile environment, I’m not going to complain,” Callero concluded. “We’re going to be all right the rest of the season.” Cal Poly opens its three-game homestand when facing Hawaii Feb. 5. at 7 p.m.

Monday, February 2, 2015

SPORTS | 10

Women’s basketball dominates UC Irvine

CHRISTA L AM | MUSTANG NE WS RIDE HIGH | Sophomore guard Rachel Koehler tallied two points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal in the Cal Poly women’s basketball team’s dismantling of UC Irvine. The Mustangs are in sole possession of first place in the Big West.

Mustang News Staff Report @CPMustangSports

The Cal Poly women’s basketball team (11-9, 6-2 Big West Conference) easily handled UC Irvine (4-18, 1-6) Saturday night, defeating the Anteaters 74-58. The win puts the Mustangs in sole possession of first place in the Big West standings, half a game ahead of both Long Beach State and Hawaii. In front of 1,041 fans, the Mustangs took the lead within the first five minutes and never surrendered it again. Eleven Cal Poly players notched points, led by sophomore forward Hannah Gilbert and freshman

guard Dynn Leaupepe, who both had 14 points. Leaupepe did all her damage in just 18 minutes of play, continuing her impressive points-perminute ratio. With the commanding lead, head coach Faith Mimnaugh was also allowed the luxury of using 16 players throughout the game, gaining valuable court time for some players who rarely get the chance to see the floor. Gilbert also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, while freshman Lynn Leaupepe and twin sister Dynn each grabbed seven boards. Senior guard Ariana Elegado played facilitator, dishing out eight assists. Elegado also went 3-for-6

from 3-point range and finished with a modest nine points. As a squad, the Mustangs shot 39.2 percent from the field, and against conventional odds shot an even better 40 percent from 3-point range, going 8-for-20 from deep. Cal Poly looks primed to make a long run in the Big West Tournament in March. After a somewhat rough start to the season, the young squad has figured things out and defined their roles. Despite the loss of a couple key players from last year, this year’s team has been just as — if not more — successful. The Mustangs have won seven of their last nine games, but the road will get tougher from here.

The next three games for Cal Poly are all on the road against the three toughest conference opponents: Hawaii, Cal State Northridge and Long Beach State. Hawaii and Long Beach State are tied for second place, just behind Cal Poly, and the 49ers are one of the two Big West teams to beat the Mustangs so far. Cal State Northridge returned all five starters from its tournament-winning squad last year, boasting a ton of experience and firepower. Though the road ahead is tough, the Mustangs seem primed for a deep postseason run. They get a day off next Thursday but resume the second half of Big West play on Feb. 7 at Hawaii.