Do you miss PAC 12 after dark? I hope you do, because I’ve got the answer for you. The Big West Tournament in Henderson, Nevada begins March 11 and ends March 14. Watch to see some of the best small schools in the West have to offer and the thrill of a small school punching their ticket to the national stage in the NCAA Tournament. The Big West only takes their top eight teams to the conference tournament which leads to three schools missing out and those victims are Long Beach State, UC Riverside and Cal State Bakersfield.
The Favorites
Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors- The lone non-California school has been up there for the class of the Big West this season. Hawai’i relies heavily on their big man down low Isaac Johnson who is both effective and efficient leading the team in points per game and shooting over 50% from the field while doing so. Dre Bullock is a menace from guard at both ends though being another offensive threat while bringing in boards from the outside on defense. Hawai’i looking to make their first tournament in a decade.
UC Irvine Anteaters- UC Irvine is the powerhouse of the Big West having not finished under .500 in season since 2011-12. In that time they have made two NCAA tournament appearances.
Irvine is on a roll as of late winning six of their last seven. The Anteaters faced some adversity in the middle part of their conference schedule but seem to have only grown stronger from it as they have looked the class of the Big West since then. Jurian Dixon is the go man for them averaging almost 16 points per game but on the defensive side watch out for the stout Kyle Evans bringing in eight boards a game and a ridiculous three and a half blocks a game as well. Both Irvine and Hawai’i have double-byes to the semi-finals.
The UC Schools
UC San Diego Tritons- Not quite to their level last year but UC San Diego is the team I’d pick to upend either of the favorites. The Tritons won 20 games for a third consecutive season, looking to make it back to back NCAA Tournament berths. All the more impressive considering it’s an almost entirely new group compared to who took the court for them in the big dance last year with Aidan Burke being the only key returner this season, rest are new faces stepping up to try and get this team back to the dance.
UC Davis Aggies, UC Santa Barbara Gauchos- I’m grouping both UC Davis and Santa Barbara together because both teams are similar. Each finished 18-13 (11-9 conference) on the season while being right next to each other in virtually every statistic. The only difference is Davis swept Santa Barbara, but UCSB gets a chance at revenge when it matters the most when these teams open up against each other in the Big West tournament.
Cal State Schools
Cal State Northridge Matadors- The Matadors have a nice one two punch with both Larry Hughes II and Josiah Davis averaging over 15 points a game. The Matadors are a trick defensively as well with four players averaging a steal a game. Almost won twenty games, could be a good team to hedge your bet on to upend one of the two favorites. Northridge is looking for their tournament berth in 17 years and only third all time.
Cal State Fullerton Titans- The Titans are peaking at the right time winning four of five and nine of 12 to enter the Big West tournament on a heater. Fullerton has a potent offense with 83.7 ppg good for 35th best in the nation. There is no real front man for the Titans as it’s a collective effort with four players averaging over double figures in points a game. A good turnaround for Fullerton after an abysmal 6-26 record last year, to now be 17-15 with a bye to the quarter finals. Fullerton has the chops to be the Big West champ in addition, leading the conference in steals as a team in addition to that top flight offense. The Titans have the richest basketball history in the Big West, making the Elite Eight once back in 1978.
Cal Poly Mustangs- Cal Poly might not have state in its name but is a part of the Cal State system of schools. The Mustangs are a middle of the pack team, not good but not bad. An interesting note about them is they are guard heavy; their top seven scorers are all listed as guards. Another nugget on the Mustangs only one NCAA tournament appearance previously and it came when they had a losing record in 2013-14 and there are similarities between this year’s iteration of the Mustangs and that one. So you’re saying there’s a chance.
Tournament Picks
(All times Pacific)
Opening Round
Games on 3/11 at 6:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m.
San Diego defeats Cal Poly
UC Davis defeats UCSB
Quarter-finals
Games on 3/12 at 6:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m.
San Diego defeats Northridge
Fullerton defeats Davis
Semi-Finals
Games on 3/13 at 6:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m.
Irvine defeats San Diego
Fullerton defeats Hawai’i
Championship
3/14 7:00 p.m.
Irvine defeats Fullerton
UC Irvine: Congratulations I predict you are going to punch your ticket to the NCAA Tournament.