Hear ye, hear ye! All ye Hawaii and assorted California school fans are hereby welcomed to the Big West women’s conference tournament at the castle, a.k.a, Las Vegas’ Dollar Loan Center. Bring thy friends and watch the conference’s top eight teams duel, err compete, for a chance to dance.
The tournament venue’s curious “Modern Medieval Theme” promises spectators “state-of-the-art” amenities including “chamber” suites and “royal landings.” While the atmosphere may be knightly, the competition on the (queen’s) court will be anything but old-fashioned. So which of the Big West teams stand a shot to advance to the Big Dance? Let’s discuss!
The Favorite: Hawaii (20-9, 17-3)
Led by the Big West’s Coach of the Year Laura Beeman, who recently celebrated her 200th win, the Rainbow Wahine are searching for their third straight conference title. Despite their low-scoring offense (59.9 ppg), the ‘Bows won 11 of their last 12 regular season conference matchups off weaponized consistency. Hawaii plays each quarter like the last and the next; they rarely sprint ahead on scoring sprees or stall from scoring droughts. While not their highest scorer, Imani Perez is Hawaii’s sharpest shooter, shooting 58% from the field and 41% from the perimeter. Opponents will need to slow her down and watch out for Lily Wahinekapu and Daejah Phillips who both average about 11 points a game.
Hawaii enters the tournament off a record-setting 37-point victory that knocked UC-Santa Barbara out of tournament contention. The ‘Bows hit 17 3-pointers in the contest. Whoever faces Hawaii after their double bye will need to eliminate the ‘Bows’ perimeter power by closing out and disrupt their rhythm by congesting the passing lanes.
The Challenger: UC Irvine (21-8, 16-4)
The Anteaters destroy offenses with their relentless defense. They exhaust opponents with their full court first quarter press and average 10 steals per game with the help of Big West’s Player of the Year, Déja Lee. While UC Irvine dominates on defense, like many of their Big West rivals, 3-point scoring isn’t the team’s strong suit. Teams may be able to concentrate on pressuring the lane because Irvine only shoots 25% from behind the arc averaging four 3-pointers per game. That said, Lee, Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba and Nevaeh Parkinson are consistent in the paint and reliable at the charity stripe. If the Anteaters can startle offenses early and depend less on the big shots, they can threaten anyone.
The Spoiler: UC Davis (17-13, 13-7)
While UC Davis is locked in a three-way tie for conference record with UC Riverside and Cal Poly, the Aggies seem to be the most threatening “middle of the pack” team with wins over Hawaii and UC Irvine on their resume. Teammates Evanne Turner (14.5 ppg) and Tova Sabel (14 ppg) rank fourth and fifth in the conference in scoring and tightened their 3-point attack to conquer many close matchups this season. Unfortunately for UC Davis’ NCAA Tournament aspirations, the Aggies turn the ball over a lot, averaging 16 times per game. UC Davis will play Cal State Fullerton in the first round, a team whom they’ve already beaten twice this season. If they can protect the ball and target their reliable scoring leaders, UC Davis may be one game closer to punching their ticket to the Big Dance.
Predicted Winner: Hawaii
A few seasons ago, the Big West adjusted its conference tournament format to only host eight teams to protect the regular-season leaders and increase their chances of earning a bid to the Big Dance. However, this season didn’t illuminate a clear “leader” in the conference. Hawaii, UC Irvine and all the teams locked in the middle of the pack historically rely on strong defenses. More recently though, each team showcased scoring power that may make for some exciting overtime matchups. Hawaii will have its hands full on the path to 3-peat, but their veteran championship experience and balanced roster may give them the edge. I predict the ‘Bows will represent the Big West in the NCAA Tournament.