All the pre-conference games have been played. Rust has been knocked-off. New players have been integrated into teams. Big West schools have played a huge range of opponents from BCS conferences, NAIA, Division II, and others.

On Wednesday night, six of the nine conference schools will tip-off their 16-game Big West season, hoping to earn a top seed in the Big West Tournament, which takes place March 9-11 at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

Here are a few pages I’ll be using consistently. I recommend you get a subscription to KenPom.com if you haven’t already.

CBS Sports strength of schedule

KenPom.com

Big West Men’s Basketball page

Let’s take a look at each team’s preseason, how they’ve done, and what it means for the next 10 weeks.

UC Davis Link to Team’s Site

Record: 8-7

Strength of Schedule – 301/351

KenPom Ranking – 229/351 (3rd in the Big West)

Preseason Media Poll: 5th

UC Davis has the best record this year in the Big West’s non-conference. While several other Big West teams have a top-100 non-conference schedule this season, the Aggies have gotten used to winning against teams who largely play at the level of many Big West Schools.

6’6″ Junior forward Chima Moneke — a JUCO transfer who is originally from Australia — has been a revelation for head coach Jim Les. Moneke leads the team in both scoring (14.9 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg) and is one frontrunner for the Big West’s newcomer of the year award. Brynton Lemar, Seiler Schneider, and Darius Graham all shoot 39 percent or better from three point range, giving  Moneke and super senior JT Adenrele room to operate down low. Adenrele is second on the team in rebounding, with five per game.

Cal State Fullerton Link to Team’s Website

Record: 6-7

Strength of Schedule: 325/351

KenPom Ranking: 291/351 (8th in the Big West)

Preseason Media Poll: 6th

Dedrique Taylor’s squad this year has been generally competitive, if a little inconsistent this year. They have four Division I wins, including against a few average Division I teams — but they’ve also lost against Alabama State – ranked 335/351 on KenPom.com. Senior Tre Coggins is averaging over 20 points per game and could be a sleeper Big West Player of the Year candidate. Sophomore Khalil Ahmad has played in just two games (16.5 ppg), but figures to pair with Coggins to make Fullerton’s back court one of the best in the conference offensively.

Jackson Rowe, a 6′ 7″ freshman from Toronto, leads the team in rebounding and he and Lionheart Leslie both average in double digits in scoring. A combination of conference parody, great guards, and some program consistency means this year’s Fullerton team may finally be ready to start to fulfill Taylor’s vision for the program and compete for a spot in the top half of the conference.

Hawai’i Link to Team’s Website

Record: 6-7

Strength of Schedule: 286/351

KenPom Ranking: 261/351 (5th in the Big West)

Preseason Media Poll: 8th

With a year to plan for the Rainbow Warriors’ postseason ban in 2017, head coach Eron Ganot and co. saw some familiar faces leave this past offseason, including center Stefan Jovanovic (Loyola Marymount).

In this, a rebuilding year, Hawai’i has beaten a number of the bottom 20-50 Division I teams in the country. A number of new faces lead Hawai’i this year, including Australian Jack Purchase — an Auburn transfer — JUCO transfer F Gibson Johnson, and senior UCLA transfer Noah Allen, who leads the team in scoring and rebounding.

Look for Hawai’i to be in games throughout the conference season. They’re not as talented as last year, but a record at or above .500 for conference would not be a surprise given Ganot’s pedigree. Even though they are ineligible for postseason play, Ganot’s team should keep up in a down year in the Big West.

If you want to read more about Hawai’i, Brian McInnis is a great read in the Holonolu Star Advertiser.

UC Irvine Link to Team’s Website

Record: 7-9

Strength of Schedule: 81/351

KenPom Ranking: 181/351 (First in the Big West)

Preseason Media Poll: 2nd 

Russell Turner’s team has become a perennial Big West contender. Sure, the departed Mamadou Ndiaye had something to do with that, but senior Luke Nelson was this author’s preseason pick for Big West Player of the Year. Nelson, out with injury for much of the preseason, would have made a difference in Irvine’s pre-conference record. Irvine’s top-100 strength of schedule makes their 7-9 record without Nelson actually really good.

In Nelson’s absence, Jaron Martin has shown marked improvement from last year as the team’s leading scorer at 14.3 points per game over the first 16. Martin is a notorious clutch shooter, making UC Irvine’s backcourt tandem really, really good.

Without Ndiaye, look for Ioannis Dimakopoulos to go to work inside. A 7′ 2″ senior, Dimakopoulos averages 10 points and four rebounds in just over 20 minutes per game. Jonathan Galloway, listed at 6′ 10″ (did he grow?!), plays good defense and is a role player that great teams need to have.

There is a next generation of UCI players that fans will see this season too. Max Hazzard and Eyassu Worku — freshman guards also recruited by other Big West schools, along with 6′ 8″ freshman forward Tommy Rutherford will see lots of minutes for the Anteaters.

Add up the star power, depth, discipline, leadership and athleticism, and the Anteaters are one of the top two teams going into conference play — if not the best.

Cal Poly Link to Team’s Website

Record: 5-9

Strength of Schedule: 236/351

KenPom Ranking: 270/351 (7th in the Big West)

Preseason Big West Media Poll: 9th

It’s weird that Cal Poly has played at three Pac 12 schools and still has a SOS as low as they do, but here they are.

Joe Callero’s team was already thin enough for the Mustangs to be picked 9th in the preseason media poll, but they’ve also lost probably their two best players in the preseason. Josh Martin only played in five games before a season-ending foot injury. Guard Jaylen Shead — the team leader in assists — left the program as soon as finals were done.

What Callero is left with is a weird situation. The Mustangs basically start three point guards (some combination of Kyle Toth, Ridge Shipley, Victor Joseph, and Donovan Fields), a stretch-four (Luke Meikle), and a defense/rebounding specializing center (Zach Gordon, Aleks Abrams, or Hank Hollingsworth).

Joseph, Fields, Toth, and Hollingsworth have never played in a Big West Conference game before and only Shipley, Meikle, and Gordon have seen consistent minutes.

Things might pivot on Meikle’s ability to carry the load both in rebounding and scoring in the half-court against athletic defenders in the Big West.

Cal Poly’s roster is weird and they haven’t won a game in the four since Shead left, but Callero and his staff often do their best work when things get weird. With as small as this team is, a lot will ride on their ability to defend the paint, rebound, and make three pointers. Look for the 40 percent mark from downtown and free throw differential to be good barometers of how the Mustangs are playing on a given night.

Long Beach State Link to Team’s Website

Record: 5-11

Strength of Schedule: 32/351

KenPom Ranking: 188/351 (2nd in the Big West)

Preseason Big West Media Poll: 1st

Dan Monson’s team always plays one of the toughest pre-conference schedules in the country, and this season was no different. After losing to a number of great teams early in the season, the 49ers rattled off back-to-back wins at Oregon State and at home against Colorado State.

Long Beach brings back firepower in Evan Payne and Gabe Levin — former Loyola Marymount players who transferred to Long Beach. Payne is a pure scorer (14.5 ppg) and Levin does a lot of dirty work, averaging 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest.

Noah Blackwell, Roschon Prince, and Temidayo Yussuf are all solid rotation players who do a lot of work on both ends of the floor.

The heartbeat of Long Beach State, though, is 5’8″ Justin Bibbins. A junior this year, Bibbins was a vocal leader on the court as an underclassman last season. Bibbins was injured at the end of the Colorado State win on December 22nd and didn’t play at Eastern Michigan. His ability to be full-speed will mean A LOT for a Long Beach State team that is battle-tested and ready to compete for a Big West title once again.

They’ll get a test right out of the gate, facing UC Irvine on Thursday night in Irvine. The game will be an ESPN3 production.

CSUN Link to Team’s Website

Record: 4-9

Strength of Schedule: 139/351

KenPom Ranking: 239/351 (4th in Big West)

Preseason Media Poll: 3rd

Reggie Theus‘ team has been one of the hardest to figure out thus far. With a bevy of transfers from schools in power conferences, CSUN was poised to make a big improvement this year. Maybe they still are.

They still have those talented players. Rakim Lubin (UCONN), Darin Johnson (Washington) Kendall Smith (UNLV), Reggie Theus Jr. (South Carolina) and Dylan Johns (Texas A&M) are all contributing this year. Tavrion Dawson is a talented wing player too.

But inconsistent pre-conference play has given reason for pause. Losses to teams like UCLA and Texas A&M don’t look bad, but the loss to Bethesda at home is a real head-scratcher. Maybe senior Aaron Parks (11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists per game), who didn’t play in the Bethesda game, really means that much to the Matadors.

This team will go as far as it is willing to stay disciplined on defense. The Matadors will get their 75 or so points (they average almost 80 per game so far), but their ability to limit turnovers and get defensive stops will be the difference between a winning or losing conference record.

UC Riverside Link to Team’s Website

Record: 2-9

Strength of Schedule: 131/351

KenPom Ranking: 301/351 (9th in the Big West)

Preseason Media Poll: 7th

There’s no doubt about it, UC Riverside has struggled this preseason. Before December 31st, they hadn’t beaten a Division I team this year. But on New Years Eve, they hosted Grand Canyon, a top-200 team, and came away with a victory at the SRC.

The win may be a building block for a team looking for positives.

Secean Johnson is the team’s scoring and rebounding leader at 11.4 points and 5 rebounds per game. Gentry Thomas and Chance Murray are the other Highlanders averaging double-figure points. Dikymbe Martin, a freshman guard from local high school JW North, might be the most interesting player on the team. Martin leads the team in assists and steals and averages 8.5 points per game.

With their overall performance this year, it’s hard to see UC Riverside finishing near the top half of the conference, but the league is so weird this year that anybody could convince themselves they belong in the top four.

UC Santa Barbara Link to Team’s Website

Record: 2-10 

Strength of Schedule: 34/351

KenPom Ranking: 269/351 (6th in the Big West)

Preseason Media Poll: 4th

It’s unusual to see Bob Williams teams struggle, but struggle this year’s squad has. Their only Division I win was against Cal State Bakersfield and losses to San Diego and Seattle weren’t particularly good. In the Seattle game over winter break, the Gauchos gave up a 20-point lead with 9:09 left in the game to lose at the Thunderdome.

Things aren’t all doom and gloom in Goleta, though. UCSB has played the 34th toughest schedule this season and it would be easy to see Williams’ players improving and adjusting as they got into conference. This year’s team is led by junior Gabe Vincent — a sharp shooter deluxe who averages 16.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Junior Jalen Canty is a big 6’8″ JUCO transfer from San Francisco who was the California JUCO Player of the Year last season. He averages 10 points and seven rebounds for the Gauchos while sharpshooting freshman Max Heidegger (Oaks Christian High School) is averaging nine points. Senior Eric Childress leads the team with 3.8 assists per game.

It’s always hard to imagine UCSB near or at the bottom of the Big West when the dust settles, so don’t be surprised if you see them seeded in the 4-6 range in the conference tournament, despite their slow start.

I’ve done previews before, and this year’s Big West men’s basketball season is sure to be a fun one. Off we go into the world of 49ers, Anteaters, Aggies, Warriors, Titans, Mustangs, Matadors, Highlanders, and Gauchos.

9 – Cal State Fullerton

Dedrique Taylor has a few good guards becoming eligible this year and it looks like Fullerton will be able to shoot it. By Owen Main

Last season

The Titans seem to be in an almost constant rebuilding mode. In his second year at the helm, head coach Dedrique Taylor’s squad went 8-7 in the preseason before stumbling to a 1-15 conference record. Their preseason actually had some decent performances (wins vs. San Jose State, at Nevada, and a four-point loss at USC).

This year’s schedule

Cal State Fullerton will go to the Pacific Northwest twice in the preseason for four games (including at Washington and at Oregon State), but they’ll only have one non-conference game in a different time zone, when they travel to Cedar City, Utah to face Southern Utah on November 24th.

Their schedule includes 7 conference games on either ESPN3 or Fox Sports Prime Ticket.

Who to watch out for?

Fullerton returns just one starter from last year in center Kennedy Esume, so it will be important from two Division 1 transfers to provide big-time production this season. Tre Coggins is a 6’2″ junior guard who transferred to Fullerton from Air Force and sat out last season. Coggins averaged 16 points per game in his last year at Air Force and figures to be one of the Titans’ top scorers.

Alongside Coggins, 6’4″ senior guard Malcom Brooks, a Pepperdine transfer should also play a big role. Brooks averaged 10 points per game two years ago at Pepperdine and, pairing with Coggins, should make up for some of the scoring punch lost with departed guards Alex Harris and Josh Gentry.

Of Brooks and Coggins, head coach Dedrique Taylor said,

“They saw what we went through [while sitting out last season] and the struggles that we were having both on and off the floor and I think they’ve immediately stepped to the floor and answered the bell with our character quotient and how we are living our lives off the floor. I think it’s carried over to on the floor. Character is exceptionally high and they understand what they are here for and they’re excited about it.”

Taylor expects them both to be able to score the ball and, if Fullerton is to compete this year, they’re likely going to be having to put up big points.

The unknown

Because of some of the turnover their program has experienced, Cal State Fullerton is one of the biggest unknowns. Will their transfers play well together? Will their three freshman and three junior transfer newcomers contribute? Nobody really knows anything about this team yet and that could make them really dangerous, especially the first time teams play them in conference.

That said, they might just need another year. There are no moral victories, but an improvement to four or five conference wins could be a step in the right direction.

8 – CSUN

Theus’ program now

In his third year at the helm in Northridge (and with a new extension freshly inked), Reggie Theus’ squad will look to make a big step forward. Last season, I thought the Matadors would make that step. Their hearts were broken after Cal Poly beat them in a close conference final in 2014 and they were poised to be very good once again. But the Matadors kind of flamed out in conference play, going 4-12 in the Big West to finish in 8th place.

As a coach gets into his third season with a program, the players he recruited start to dominate the roster. This year might have been one for Theus’ program to make a move, but some off-the-court issues caused a number of players to leave the team last season.

“I know we’re headed in the right direction,” said Theus. “The truth of the matter is I haven’t had a full team since I got here… . My first year (at CSUN), I played with eight scholarship players, my second year, I played with seven scholarship players, and now today I’ve got five scholarship players.”

The void left by those and the number of transfers on the roster who cannot play this year, could make 2015-16 an “in-between” year for CSUN. Theus hasn’t really had a full roster of players in any of his years at CSUN. Next year, he almost definitely will.

The roster

Senior forward Tre Hale-Edmurson is a guy who can take over games as he proved in the Big West final two years ago, but he’ll have to fight the inclination to try to do too much, especially with a young and relatively inexperienced team around him. Landon Drew and Aaron Parks should also be solid contributors.

For those of you who watched the Mission Prep Christmas Classic last season in SLO, freshman guard Jason Richardson is a player whose name you might recognize from Serra High School in Gardena. Richardson was also being recruited by Cal Poly at one point and he’s a bowling-ball of a point guard who can rebound and probably take the physicality of the position at the next level right away. The freshman is walking-on at CSUN and got some playing time in an early exhibition and his quick progression could make a big difference for CSUN early-on.

“We missed the NCAA’s by one play my first year, and we had a chance to really do some great things the following year [last season],” said Theus. “I had some really good players sitting out, some young players that were going to come in and play the following year, and the mixture of those young players with the veterans I had on the other team would have really been a great mix. But it didn’t work out, so you have to keep moving. Now I’ve got a team where all of those veteran guys are graduated. I’ve got three seniors, the rest of the team is made up of basically freshmen and sophomores. So, we’re young.”

So, what is the deal with the transfers?

Seven of the 17 players on the roster are transfers, which means we’ll know a lot more about this team come conference play. Among the transfers are many who won’t play this year, including Kendall Smith (UNLV) Darin Johnson (Washington), Reggie Theus Jr. (South Carolina), Rakim Lubin, Dylan Johns (Texas A&M).

“I’ve got four high-major players sitting out, so I think that now, the following year, when you mix the youth that we have this year that will get some really good experience with the guys that are sitting out, then next year will basically be my first year with all of my players on the floor or actually a full team.”

All this adds up to CSUN probably being in the top-3 or top-4 in my poll next year, but they are still a year away. Theus’ teams always compete and I could see them being a really tough first-round out in the Big West Tournament, even from the six, seven, or eight-hole.

7 – UC Davis

Last Season

Last year was pretty magical for UC Davis. With a few really great seniors, the Aggies and head coach Jim Les won nine of their first 10 games overall and went on a tear in conference play where they went 14-2 en route to the regular season title. Seniors Corey Hawkins and Josh Ritchart are gone, but so are guards Avery Johnson and Tyler Les, the son of the coach. Hawkins and Ritchart were the big scorers on the team, but between the four seniors, UC Davis lost 61 percent of their scoring from last year.

Random Stat

Nobody on the Aggies averaged as many as five rebounds per game last season. For a team as successful as they were, UC Davis was unusual in that they were out-rebounded by their opponents. This year, someone will average five-plus rebounds becuase…

Jim Les’ UC Davis Aggies had a great season last year, but a repeat performance will be tough. By Owen Main

JT is back

Coming off a knee injury, JT Adenrele only played 18 minutes per game as a junior. He’s sure to get more time this year and is a beast down low. His explosiveness on the block was fun to watch before his injury, and he’s a guy who UC Davis fans hope can carry a lot of the load in the middle this year. With lots of teams still sporting big lineups, Adenrele will have to do more than his share for Davis to be a contender this season.

The Schedule

Like Fullerton, UC Davis has a pretty tame non-conference schedule, though the number of decent Division-1 home games is pretty high. Their toughest challenge in non-conference play is a game at Saint Mary’s. The Aggies only go a time zone away twice (Boise State and Utah Valley) in non-conference play.

Next man up

I mentioned that 61 percent of their offense is gone, but Jim Les likes his scorers. Along with Adenrele, Josh Fox will be a senior and has a year in the program under his belt. The two will try to wreak havoc on the front line.

The back court is where I’ll have more questions. The relative inexperience of most of them is a key to why UC Davis comes in at 7th, and maybe I should respect what they did last year more than that, but they could probably creep into the top five or six if things break the right way.

6 – Hawai’i

My numbers six and five in my preseason rankings here could both be Big West contenders this year. Hawai’i went through as much tumult as a program can go through last year. They lost their coach and best player just days before the start of the season, and despite that were very competitive.

Their starting five includes three guards and is really talented:

#HawaiiMBB first five is still Roderick Bobbitt, Quincy Smith, Aaron Valdes, Mike Thomas and Stefan Jankovic

— Brian McInnis (@Brian_McInnis) November 13, 2015

Coaching changes

Eron Ganot is the newest coach in the Big West, and he takes over a talented group. While there will be some growing pains as Ganot gets his guys to buy-in, have no doubt that this team will play a significantly more controlled style than they did with Benjy Taylor last season.

If you want a blueprint for what Ganot will probably try to build in Hawai’i, look no farther than St. Mary’s, where Ganot was an assistant for the last few years. Also, listen to my latest podcast with Brian McInnis of the Honolulu Star Advertiser.

Sharpshooters

Hawai’i proved they can score the ball last year. Aaron Valdes led the team with 13.7 points per game along with 5.3 rebounds, but it’s the development of his backcourt mate Isaac Fleming that could really make this team dangerous.

Versatile guards

Roderick Bobbitt was the Big West’s defensive player of the year last year, but he also averaged nine points per game in Hawai’i’s three-guard set. Quincy Smith will also start, with Fleming coming off the bench and working his way back after a leave of absence earlier this year.

Adjustments

Hawai’i’s season will hinge on how quickly and how well the team can adjust to Ganot’s new system and style. While they probably have enough talent to be a top-four team in this conference, I put them in sixth because of the new coach. Everyone here and above could easily make the Big West Tournament final.

5 – Long Beach State

Dan Monson’s team will once again be one of the most talented in the Big West. By Owen Main

After finishing going to the NCAA Tournament in 2012-13, Long Beach State and head coach Dan Monson have finished third and fourth in the conference regular season over the past two seasons respectively.

While consistently being in the top half of the Big West would be an accomplishment for most teams, Monson’s squad hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2012. Again, that would be fine for most programs, but constitutes a drought for the 49ers.

Newcomers abound

Long Beach State lost all five starters and five seniors after last season, so Monson has something of a fresh slate. Monson’s current roster is undeniably talented. Senior Maryland transfer Nick Faust brings ACC experience to the Big West and fellow Division I transfers Gabe Levin and Evan Payne (both from Loyola Marymount) will also help Long Beach to re-load this season.

Faust had identical 9.4 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game averages in his two years at Maryland. Levin might be just as impactful. The sophomore from Connecticut averaged 11 points and 7 rebounds per game as a freshman at LMU. His former and current teammate, Payne averaged over 18 points per game his sophomore season at LMU.

Depth charge

While they shouldn’t have issues scoring the ball, Long Beach State’s depth and overall rotation are going to take some time to figure out. Monson will probably rely on sophomore Justin Bibbins at point guard quite a bit and Travis Hammonds, Branford Jones, and Temidayo Yussuf will all have significant roles to play. If Monson can find a way to quickly get this team gelled and playing together, they could contend for a conference title.

The schedule

Long Beach State always has one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation. This year is no different. The 49ers play at Oklahoma State, Duke, UCLA, Oregon, and Arizona. They tip-off the season against Seton Hall at the Charleston Classic, a tournament that also includes the likes of Ole Miss, George Mason, Bradley, Oklahoma State, Virgina, and Towson.

The Monson factor

Dan Monson remains one of the best and most interesting coaches in the conference. It’s about 10 times more likely that they out-perform this ranking than underperform it, but I am always skeptical of how players who have never played together will do until I’ve seen it. In a week, Long Beach could be my number-two team in the conference, but for now, I’ll keep them in the middle of the pack, despite the fact that they NEVER end up actually finishing below fourth.

4 – UC Riverside

UC Riverside has two of the five or ten best players in the conference, including the player who I think is the best returning player in the league, which is why they come in at number four. Head coach Dennis Cutts has put together a group of players who will be able to compete in the middle with the likes of UC Irvine and will have good enough guard play to compete with anyone.

Bland and Johns

Taylor Johns is my preseason conference player of the year. By Owen Main

Maybe the best duo in the conference, Trevor Johns and Jaylen Bland are the conference’s new version of Stephan Hicks and Stephen Maxwell, both of whom finished their careers with CSUN last year.

Last season, Johns averaged over 16 points and eight rebounds per game. His skill, athleticism and work ethic down low make him the most reliable player in the conference, on paper, coming into the season. Teams will game-plan what to do with him and his play will dictate the flow of entire games UC Riverside plays in this season, especially once conference play begins.

“He’s put in a lot of work on his own, developing his skill level, and it’s been really exciting to see that development,” said head coach Dennis Cutts. “He kind of embodies what we want to be about. We want to really develop players here and he’s been really the first one that we can really showcase that we’ve done that with.”

The thing that will help him is the continued tandem play of Bland. Bland averaged 15 points and almost 5 rebounds per game last season and he and Johns played together this summer in the Drew League.

“They’re a great compliment. Jaylen can really shoot it. Taylor kind of plays in and out. It really gives us both weapons.”

Bland didn’t play for about a year and a half before last season, sitting out because of transfer rules, and Cutts expects big things from him as well this year. “I’d be scared for people now that he’s with us and he’s had a great offseason and really comfortable with what we’re doing. I have high expectations that he can improve on his year last year.”

Bland was the 2014-15 Big West Newcomer of the Year.

There needs to be more than one (or two)

Stupidly vague Highlander jokes aside, UC Riverside’s depth will play a critical role this season. At point guard, Stephen Jones will be a senior who was injured much of last year and will be back. Alex Larsson started all but one game as a freshman last year. Robert Bozeman played in 30 games last year and will provide front court depth, while Secean Johnson, Malik Thames and Gentrey Thomas will need to play significant minutes as junior college transfers.

Stability

So, why is UC Riverside worthy of being picked as a top-four team in the preseason? When it comes down to it, known commodities are a big deal in this conference, and Johns and Bland are those. Even if they finish 5th or 6th in the regular season, these are two players who have the potential to get hot and combine to get the Highlanders to the title game in Anaheim.

3 – Cal Poly

OK, maybe my glasses are shaded Mustang green. Despite a Cinderella tournament run two years ago, the truth of the matter is that Cal Poly finished 7th in the Big West’s regular season each of the past two years. There are seven players on this team who were on the Big West Championship squad two years ago and Cal Poly has some impact seniors — something they really haven’t had since Chris Eversley graduated.

The Nwaba factor

Cal Poly senior guard David Nwaba is arguably the biggest, nastiest high-fly act in the Big West. He’s a player who is worth the price of admission to come see take the ball to the basket and he can defend against just about any guard in the conference. While the rest of Cal Poly’s back court consists of spot-up shooters, Nwaba is a player who can penetrate and finish with anybody.

Senior forward Joel Awich is one of Cal Poly’s X-factor’s this season. By Owen Main

Laying in wait

If you looked to the end of the Mustang bench last year, you saw why I picked this team to finish so high. Here’s who was sitting there:

Luke Meikle – (TR, Gonzaga) – Meikle is a 6’9″ stretch-four who should be productive right away.

Taylor Sutlive – (Soph) – Sutlive figured to play a big role in his sophomore season last year, but hurt his knee and redshirted last year. He looks back in fine shape and his stroke is still sweet.

Zach Gordon – (JR) – Gordon also injured himself last year and also red-shirted. He took a game-winning charge (if there is such a thing) in the Big West Tournament final two years ago, and provides length and toughness in Cal Poly’s front court.

Trevor John – (RFR) – Unlike the others on this list, John was suited up last year, but never played. He is a sharp-shooter whose game seems much like Kyle Toth, who had a good pre-conference run last year for Cal Poly. Consistent perimeter shooting will be key for this team.

Josh Martin (TR, Minnesota) – Martin left Minnesota mid-way through last year and will be eligible to finish his freshman year at Cal Poly at some point in December. His athleticism up-front is something I can’t wait to see. I don’t know how exactly his game fits in the Big West, but he’s a major-college talent in the Big West and is one of six or seven Mustangs who will vie for playing time at power forward and center this year.

Reese Morgan is a fifth-year senior who will be one of the leaders on this year’s Cal Poly squad that will try to play at a faster pace.

That Guy

Every year, I feel like there’s a guy in the Big West who fans look at and say “he’s STILL around?!”

Mike Caffey of Long Beach State and Orlando Johnson of UCSB were two of those players in the past. While I’m not sure he’s a Player of the Year candidate this season, fifth-year senior Reese Morgan might be that guy for the Mustangs this year. He’s been through so many knee surgeries and injuries that he hasn’t ever been able to showcase the promise he had when he led the state of California in scoring in high school. Morgan can still shoot the three-ball with anybody, has a few great games left in him in his final season. More importantly, he’s a veteran that can help stabilize a locker room in which any of 11 players could play really significant minutes come conference play.

Balance

This is the most balanced and talented team Joe Callero has had at Cal Poly. Callero, now in his sixth year, has the players he wants. Over the past four years, the Mustangs have created an identity as a slow-down offensive team, and Callero is working to change that stigma. “We took the training wheels, so to speak, off the program,” he said on the radio in Las Vegas on Friday.

If Cal Poly can pick up the pace and still limit turnovers, they could be one of the few teams with the depth and balance to compete with UC Irvine and the Big West’s best squads.

2 – UC Santa Barbara

Like Long Beach State, I’m always surprised if UCSB isn’t in the top 2-3 seeds in the conference tournament. The Gauchos lost Alan Williams, one of the best post players in Big West history, but they figure to be competitive once again. Teams led by Bob Williams usually are.

Replacing Big Al

Nobody replaces Alan Williams, but UCSB had a glimpse last season of what life would be like without Williams when he was injured for a seven-game stretch. UCSB went 5-2 during that time, which is a confidence-builder going into this year.

Green means go

John Green was really impressive when I watched him last year. He’s a versitile, 6’5″ wing player who can defend and give other teams fits. Green also takes a lot of pressure off of Michael Bryson to allow Bryson to expend energy on the offensive end. Both are great defenders, but Bryson will look to be the team’s dominant scorer.

Michael Bryson is a returning first-team all-Big West selection for UCSB. By Owen Main

Bryson Buckets

Michael Bryson was a first-team All Big West selection last season and is a prototypical 2/3 combo guard. He found a way to score almost 14 points per game and grab almost five rebounds per game on a team that Al Williams played on too.

Shots shots shots (everybody!)

After losing such a dominant player, there figure to be plenty of shots to go around this year. Gabe Vincent, the 2014-15 Big West Freshman of the year, will be one player who will look to take advantage. Vincent averaged over 1o points per game last year and will look to add to that. Senior forward Mitch Brewe started about half the games last year and even dropped 18 against UC Riverside in a game. He might be a reliable option for a Gaucho go-to in the post this year.

Shadows

The only question-mark about this team is whether they can get out of the shadow of Alan Williams and how quickly. This roster is full of big men who played a role in Williams’ shadow, but can any of them answer the bell enough to provide at least a threat inside? If everyone just makes small steps forward, maybe it won’t matter.

He likes the Lakers

Go figure. Maxwell Kupchak, a 6’7″ freshman and son of Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak, roots for the Lakers. His profile even says. Good to know. It’s something he and I have in common and if he didn’t like the Lakers, I’d think something was seriously wrong… . Really though, Kupchak’s father was a member of the Showtime Lakers and he’s been in the organization for about as long as I’ve been alive, so it will be cool to follow whatever career his son can have with the Gauchos.

1 – UC Irvine

Russell Turner has built kind of a juggernaut over in Irvine. By Owen Main

Everyone I talked to agreed with me: UCI are the favorite this season. The Anteaters shook-off the upset loss from two years ago in the Big West Tournament to earn their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance a year ago.

Head coach Russell Turner did a good enough job that he was courted by George Mason in the offseason, but chose to stay at UC Irvine. It was probably a good decision, because the Anteaters are still freaking loaded.

Mamadou mia!

Mamdou N’Diaye is the first person you see when you walk in the gym. Even by basketball player standards, he’s huge. He’s going to impact any game he plays in with his presence at the defensive end. On the offensive end, his skills are sure to have improved in this, his junior year.

N’Diaye was injured for much of conference play last year, but it didn’t seem to matter much, because Irvine’s front court behind him is solid and deep.

No Davis, no problems

Will Davis II was one of the first players Russell Turner built his version of the Anteater program on, and he graduated last year. Alex Sousa and John Ryan graduated too, but unfortunately for other Big West teams, those were really the only major loss the Anteaters sustained.

When N’Diaye isn’t in the game, the Anteaters can go “small” with 6’10” Mike Best or 7’2″ Ioannis Dimakopoulos. Their length is scary.

Underrated guard play

I talked about great tandems earlier, but Luke Nelson and Alex Young are as good a pair as you’ll find. Either player can take over a game with shooting or penetration and both are above average defenders. A casual fan will see how huge UCI is and say that’s the reason they win. But somebody has to get the big guys the ball in places they can score. Nelson and Young do that and more to drive UCI’s deadly offensive attack. The Anteaters are balanced, talented, well put-together team that is poised to repeat in the Big West.

**************************************

Upon further review, I might be too high on the likes of any of my second through fourth picks and too low on either Hawai’i or Long Beach State. The truth is, any of the top six schools in the conference will have a real shot at the conference tournament. There isn’t just parody in this conference, the overall play is slowly improving too, which is the best thing if you’re a fan or if you have dreams of the conference being a modern-day multi-bid conference. Games in this conference are worth checking-out.

What team do you think will find their rhythm in-time to make their mark on the 2015-16 Big West season? Who are you looking forward to watching?

All of college basketball is starting conference play over the next week or so. In the Big West, that means that it’s time to re-evaluate and update predictions on the season’s outcomes. Here are a few updated notes about the Big West

Updated Power Rankings

1)UCSB

2)Hawai’i

3) UC Irvine

4) Long Beach State

5) Cal State Northridge

6) Cal Poly

7) UC Davis

8) Cal State Fullerton

9) UC Riverside

Stock Rising

UCSB – With a win over Cal at the Thunderdome, UCSB showed why they are still a favorite. With the retirement of Bob Thomason, the Gauchos have the longest tenured coach in the conference (Bob Williams), and the frontrunner for conference player of the year (Alan Williams). During a pretty impressive preseason, UCSB knocked off Cal at home and beat UNLV, Utah State, and Seattle on the road (among others) during a 9-4 preseason. They walked the line between scheduling tough (playing 3 Pac 12 teams) and getting solid Division 1 wins (the above teams plus San Diego, Western Illinios and Troy). If they can stay healthy, UCSB gives me no reason to think they won’t remain a contender during the conference season.

Hawai’i – Hawai’i may have had the most impressive preseason of anyone in the conference. They go into conference play with a Big West-best 11-3 record. They have very skilled players, including Player of the Year contender Christian Standhardinger and forward Isaac Fotu. The Warriors have only played one true road game in the preseason, beating Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. Look for Hawai’i to defend the Stan Sherriff Center well this season and also to win more conference road games. In their second season in the Big West, Hawai’i will also know what to expect in Anaheim come March.

Dan Monson’s addition of transfer Tyler Lamb makes Long Beach State a viable candidate for the Big West Championship despite a tough 4-10 preseason. By Owen Main

Something to Prove

Cal Poly – Cal Poly scheduled tough this season, and paid the price in terms of their record, losing four games to (1) Arizona, Stanford, Washington, and Pitt. Both Washington and Pitt got votes in the latest AP top-25 poll. The big disappointment in the Mustangs season came in blowout losses at Fresno State, at Delaware and at Loyola Marymount. They also lost winnable games against Pacific at a neutral site and blew a late lead at home against Nevada. Maybe head coach Joe Callero and the Mustangs will find a lineup that can play more consistently on both ends of the floor, but as long as they remain 289th out of 351 teams in the country in fouls per game (committing over 21 as a team), they’ll probably not see much success in the conference. It doesn’t help that they’ve shot 29 percent from 3-point range and have only shot about 2/3 as many free throws as their opponent. This is still a team with a lot to prove, and they have accordingly moved down the above power rankings. They’ll have the chance to move quickly, too, with a home game against Hawai’i and a Saturday night matchup vs. UCSB at the Thunderdome during the opening week of conference play.

Long Beach State – The 49ers were my preseason pick to win the conference, and since they added Tyler Lamb, we have seen why. In the four games Lamb has played, the Long Beach State has gone 3-1, including a win at USC. That record is all the more remarkable considering that the 49ers didn’t have a Division 1 win before the junior transfer from UCLA was able to play. That’s understandable considering their powerhouse preseason schedule, which has included Arizona, Missouri, Washington, Michigan, VCU, Kansas State, Creighton, and North Carolina State. Lamb is averaging 20.8 points per game and gives the 49ers the focal point they need to make a run in conference play. While they only have three Division 1 wins, look for Long Beach to quickly move back up the charts.

By many rankings, Long Beach State has either had the toughest strength of schedule in the country or is in the top-five. Cal Poly has had somewhere between the 8th and 22nd toughest schedule, and UCSB is well in the top-25. It will be very interesting to see how and whether the tough schedules many Big West coaches have created pay-off once conference play begins this week.

Big West January schedule

Big West Preseason Media poll

Pomeroy Strength of Schedule Rankings

In the 2013 Big West Tournament, the Pacific Tigers and coach Bob Thomason went out with a bang, winning the conference tournament in the program’s final season in the conference and Thomason’s 25th and final season coaching at Pacific.

The 2013-14 year promises to be an exciting one with new faces seeking to make an impact and several stars returning on teams that will compete.

Last season, four Big West teams went undefeated in conference play at home (Cal Poly, Long Beach State, UC Irvine, and Pacific). It’s no surprise that the media picked the three remaining teams of this group to finish in the top-four this season.

As has been the case for the past few years, many teams will be contenders for the conference tournament title at the end of the year. Here is a team by team breakdown, in the order I believe the teams will finish the regular season.

Mike Caffey will be the catalyst for the defending regular season champs. By Will Parris

1. Long Beach State

Despite winning an astounding 43 Big West regular season games over the past three years, Long Beach State has won the Big West Tournament only once during that time. Junior guard Mike Caffey returns to lead a group that lost last season’s conference player of the year, James Ennis.

This year’s 49ers team only has two seniors, but they aren’t young — eight juniors are featured on this year’s roster. With Caffey at guard and with the addition of UCLA transfer Tyler Lamb on the wing, coach Monson will have his team at or near the top of the conference going into the Big West Tournament at the Honda Center in March.

Why? Because, it seems, he always does.

2. UC Santa Barbara

UCSB had a down season last year, as is apt to happen when a conference Player of the Year candidate goes down with injuries during conference play. Junior Alan Williams is a beast for UCSB. Williams averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds last season, becoming the first Gaucho in 23 years to average a double-double. If he can stay healthy, UCSB can never be counted out.

If you thought they were young last year, the Gauchos sport 11 players on their roster who are listed as freshmen or sophomores. Seven are sophomores, including Michael Bryson, whose production and efficiency may determine whether Williams is consistently double-teamed. Kyle Boswell, one of only two seniors on the roster, will also have to make teams pay for double-teaming Williams. UCSB is a young team with a coach who knows how to get the most out of his players and parts that make sense. They will be a contender.

Cal Poly’s Chris Eversley is a returning All-Big West first team selection. By Owen Main

3. Cal Poly

Cal Poly head coach Joe Callero has a thing about consistency and defense. Last season, the Mustangs beat UCLA in the Bruins’ first game at the new Pauley Pavilion on the way to a third-place finish in the Big West’s regular season with a 12-6 conference record.

Senior Chris Eversley was an All-Big West first team selection last year, averaging 15 points and 7 rebounds per game. Other returners include two senior guards — sharpshooter Kyle Odister and point guard Jamal Johnson, Junior guard Maliik Love comes back from an injury that caused him to miss all of last season and sophomore center Brian Bennett (6′ 9″) will try to build on a solid freshman campaign during which he was one of only two Mustangs who started all 32 games.

Cal Poly also got much more athletic on the wing with junior college transfers. Sophomore David Nwaba and junior Michael Bolden provide length and athleticism to guard a variety of players and assist Eversley and Bennett on the glass. In his fifth season at Cal Poly, this might be Callero’s most athletic and physically talented group. Whether they can maintain their signature defense and make long shots late in the shot clock will determine whether they stay knocking on the door of a conference championship or break it down.

UC Irvine’s Will Davis II might be the most explosive finisher in the Big West this season. By Will Parris

4. UC Irvine

The media’s choice to finish first in the conference, UC Irvine might be the most interesting team in the Big West. Head coach Russell Turner, who came into the job with NBA experience, is now in his fourth year. The Anteaters were last year’s conference tournament runner-up and are poised to make another run..

Irvine’s size will be the first thing you notice — seven players on the roster are listed at 6′ 7” or greater, including freshman Mamadou Ndiaye, who is 7′ 6″. Junior forward Will Davis II is one of my favorite players to watch in the Big West. He had the best dunk I saw all of last season in the Anteaters’ semifinal win over Long Beach State in the Big West Tournament.

This team only has one senior and five upper-classmen, losing notable seniors Adam Folker, Michael Wilder and Daman Starring last year. They won’t have any problem defending in the paint, but how well guards and wing players perform will be the difference between a very good team and a potentially dominant one. However they finish in the regular season, this will be a dangerous team in the tournament, when the pace of play can slow down and half-court defense can have more of an impact.

5. Hawai’i

The Hawai’i trip is one that Big West coaches probably circle on their calendar — and not because they are thinking about snorkeling. The trip to Hawai’i can be a tough travel assignment, especailly if there is only a one-day break between another game either before or after the plane ride. This season, Cal Poly drew the long straw in conference scheduling, with the game at Hawai’i the only one of that particular week.

Christian Standhardinger and Isaac Fotu are active, skilled 6′ 8″ forwards who will patrol the paint at the Stan Sheriff Center. With seven players over 6′ 7″, coach Gib Arnold may be the only coach who can try to match UC Irvine’s height. Brandon Spearman and Brandon Jawato are the returning guards who scored the most last season.

While all other programs in the Big West have to go to Hawai’i once, the Rainbow Warriors have to make the trip at least four times during conference play and again for the conference tournament. Because of the travel, I’m picking them fifth in the regular season. In their second year in the conference, though, they aren’t a bad preseason dark horse pick in the conference tournament.

6. Cal State Northridge

The Cal State Northridge program has had its share of controversy since they won the conference tournament in 2009. Last year, the school named alumnus and former basketball player Dr. Brandon Martin the new athletic director. Martin fired Bobby Braswell, his former coach, and made a splash hiring former New Mexico State and Sacramento Kings head coach Reggie Theus. Theus has a lot of work to do with a team that went 14-17 overall (5-13 in Big West Conference play) a year ago.

Despite the disappointing finish to last season, Theus’ talent cupboard isn’t totally dry. Stephen Maxwell, a 6′ 7″ forward, averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds per game last season.  Josh Greene and Stephan Hicks also proved they can score, averaging 15 and 16 points per game respectively in 2012-13.

Theus will absolutely have an instant effect, but there will be ups and downs while the team adjusts to a new coach and a new style. Look for the Matadors to improve as conference play progresses and finish strong.

7. UC Davis

Jim Les seems like a coach who knows what he wants. In his third season, Les (a former NBA sharpshooter) brings back an experienced and talented team. Last season, they finished 9-9 in conference and earned the 6-seed in the conference tournament.

Corey Hawkins (20.3 ppg and 40% 3-point shooting in 2012-13) and Ryan Sypkens (14.1 ppg and 46% 3-point shooting in 2012-13) will be the most offensively potent pair of wings in the conference. Sypkens shot better last season from three-point range than two-point range and is probably the most dangerous shooter in the conference. J.T. Adenrele, the team’s best post player, suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason and will be lost for the year.

This is a team with lots of very good individual players and in his third season, look for coach Les’ team to start to gel into something closer and closer to Les’ vision. The team is set on the wing, but their point guard play and ability to play consistent defense will be the difference between UC Davis taking the step into the realm of contender in the conference.

8. Cal State Fullerton

Cal State Fullerton is a team that is rebuilding. Dedrique Taylor is in his first season at the helm for the Titans and he will have some work to do.

Fullerton’s guard play can be good at times, which will be well-suited to an uptempo style that Taylor wants to play.  This team has nine players who are either freshmen or seniors. Look for Fullerton to knock-off a few of the teams above them during conference play, but they are my pick to finish eighth.

9. UC Riverside

UC Riverside finished last in the conference last season and were once again picked to finish in last place by the media in 2013-14. Two seasons ago, the program was suspended from postseason play because of failure to meet the Academic Progress Rate (APR) requirements set-forth by the NCAA.

The Highlanders start the season led by Interim Head Coach Dennis Cutts. Cutts took over for former head coach Jim Woolridge, who moved into the position of Athletic Director in the offseason. While they’ll win at least some conference games, the loss of a head coach with Woolridge’s pedigree will not help this season.

________________________________________

Until someone other than UCSB or Long Beach State wins the regular season title, I’ll continue to pick them at the top. Admittedly, college basketball is cyclical, so there are always opportunities for other teams. I think any of the top five or six teams on my list are great candidates to be the conference tournament winners in March and I could even see Corey Hawkins and Ryan Sypkens of UC Davis doing something really special in the tournament.

The Big West is a conference will be competitive this season. I don’t think anyone will “run away and hide” like Long Beach State has managed to do over the past few years.

There are three first-year head coaches and only Bob Williams (UCSB, 16th season), Dan Monson (Long Beach State, 7th season) and Joe Callero (Cal Poly, 5th season) have been at their current schools for more than four years. What that means — I’m not sure.

What do you think? Which team is your  favorite to win the Big West this season?