For the first time since 2015, Cal Poly won a pair of weekend home games in Big West play.*

For a team that was 1-6 in Big West play and had lost six straight games coming into the weekend, the pair of wins were just what was needed. 

Sizzling from 3

Cal Poly was red-hot from three point range this weekend. The Mustangs shot 11-16 on Saturday including 5-5, while making their first eight triples. On Wednesday against UC Riverside, Cal Poly was 11-21 from deep. That’s 22-37 on the weekend. In case you’re wondering, that’s an average of 59.5 percent and yes, that will get the job done. Something even close to 40-45 percent will get the job done for a Cal Poly team that depends on penetration and good three-point looks for its offense to be successful. 

We know Donovan Fields and Victor Joseph are good outside shooters, but for their part, Kuba Niziol shot confidently (7-15 from downtown) and so did Luke Meikle (3-5). 

Listen, a pessimist might say that Cal Poly couldn’t possibly shoot over 50% from deep in a three-games-in-three-days scenario, but they just did it in two straight games and, if you’re attached to the Mustangs, you would probably ask why the hell not?

Clear it out for Don

Cal Poly guard Donovan Fields gets to the basket against a Hawai’i defender on Saturday night. By Owen Main

Donovan Fields continues to prove he can get to the bucket and score against just about anybody. After nailing a go-ahead jumper on Wednesday night against UC Riverside, Fields got to the basket for a late left handed and-one play that helped seal the game. Fields turned, yelled, and flexed to the crowd, a grin spreading across the diminutive guard’s face. 

All smiles

Fields’ smile wasn’t the only display of pearly whites either. Looking at photos from throughout the game, it was clear that the Mustangs were engaged and taking joy in execution. Maybe it’s easier to smile when you’re winning, but the Saturday night Mustangs’ team had their highest score on the Official Fansmanship Body-Language Test of the season, coming in at 94/100.

For what it’s worth, the Chris Eversley-led Mustangs had the all time best Fansmanship Body-Language Test score of 96 when they stormed through the Big West Tournament. Smiling and being joyful isn’t the only measure of the FBLT, but it does account for a significant portion. (In case you’re wondering, the formula is still proprietary). Body language isn’t only a predictive measure or an outcome-based measure. For what it’s worth, both are factors. 

Matching-up

The return of Joe Callero’s matchup 2-3 zone could be a trump card down the stretch for Cal Poly. The calling card of Callero’s teams early-on in his Cal Poly career, the 2-3 zone has been something the Mustangs have moved away from over the past few years. The reasons are probably many. Personnel. Pace of play initiatives and new rules. A shorter shot clock.

But the ability to stymie a team like Hawai’i who struggles down the roster making three-pointers is something Cal Poly could use more and more, especially against other like teams. In the Big West, there are a few teams who would rather not shoot tons of three-pointers. Callero and co. might have something they can use against those squads in the second half of Big West play and into the tournament. 

Don’t think Dedrique Taylor and Dan Monson aren’t pulling out tapes from 2013 and 2014 to break-down some Callero matchup zones of yesteryear.

Deja vú all over again

Cal Poly now sits in a familiar place in the standings — seventh place (3-6 in Big West play). It’s the place the Mustangs have finished in the Big West for each of the past four seasons. The first of those four, the number seven was lucky indeed as Callero’s team went to the NCAA Tournament. Since then, Cal Poly has not fared as well, bowing out to the 2nd seed in each of the past three Big West Tournaments. With the win on Saturday, Cal Poly put themselves a full game up on CSUN and 2 1/2 games ahead of 0-8 (and 9th place) UC Riverside. 

Cracking the top-six may be tougher than getting into 7th place. Cal Poly is still 1 1/2 games behind sixth place Hawai’i (4-4) and two games back of Cal State Fullerton (6-4). Cal Poly will play the Titans in Orange County on Thursday night (ESPN3, 7:00pm) before traveling to Long Beach State on Saturday evening (FSW, 8:00pm). 

A win or two on the road — especially Thursday against Cal State Fullerton — could put the Mustangs in a position to take advantage of three straight home games after that and maybe get into the top-six. A pair of losses makes 6th place a lot harder to fathom, though anything could happen in this year’s edition of the Wild West.

* Cal Poly has had 7 weekends since they’re weekend sweep in 2015 where they’ve hosted two games in a row at home.

Photos by Owen Main.

For more photos click here. If you just want to contribute to the cause, Venmo @Owen-Main or paypal owen@fansmanship.com. 

The Big West is not top-heavy this year. Or maybe it’s all top-heavy. There is no one team that has clearly separated itself from the rest. UC Irvine has the pedigree. UC Davis has Chima. Cal State Fullerton has a big three. Long Beach State has history and the conference’s most experienced coach. Hawai’i has a steady hand and a bunch of steady dudes on a roster that makes sense. UCSB may have the best overall talent and a fresh new coach that is probably both an advantage and disadvantage early in the conference season. 

On a given night there are 2-3 AMAZING games in the conference. Basically, this race is shaping up to be a mid-major Royal Rumble cage match where only one team will be left standing. 

So let’s continue the metaphor (not a simile — I didn’t use like or as). Which team matches up with which WWF early-90’s wrestler?

Hawai’i (4-1)

Hawai’i is 3-1 in conference play. Eron Ganot’s program has transitioned into one with players who also know their roles and play mostly sound basketball. For me, they are Shawn Michaels. The Heartbreak Kid was a solid wrestling personality. Hawai’i is a solid basketball team. (I picked them 4th going into the season.) That said, they are also very confident. They like to jaw and trash talk. They maybe think they’re better than they are, though they might be just that good. 

While you could probably say it about any wrestler, the irrational confidence and all-around classic personality of this team reminded me of Michaels. 

Cal State Fullerton (4-2) 

The Titans are off to their best start in years. They have three very good players at their core with a supporting cast that understands their roles. Fullerton knows exactly who they are and aren’t. They do a few things really well and playing against them is like staring into the cold eyes of The Undertaker. The Undertaker is big and physical and knows exactly who he is. He joined WWF in 1990 — a sort of new kid on the block at our targeted time period. So, too, are Cal State Fullerton. 

Long Beach State (4-2)

I used to never pick Dan Monson’s team out of the top 4. They were always in the hunt for a conference title and a chance at the conference’s NCAA tournament bid. Some of the sheen is off Long Beach State. Recent years have brought transfers in and out, but they still play the toughest non-conference schedule and probably have the biggest overall revenue of any program in the conference. For that, this team is the Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase. DiBiase’s upfront capitalist attitude (“Everybody’s got a price!”) made so many people uncomfortable and made him a classic heel. 

DiBiase’s character didn’t just elicit emotional responses. He made you introspective about why you did or didn’t like him. He brought all your own moral defects to your conscious mind. In the end, you had to respect the character because he did what he did. At some point, as a fan, you knew what was coming.

UCSB (3-2) 

In a week, UCSB could be right back on top of the conference. For me, they are still the team to beat, though currently they’re in SIXTH place. SIXTH. 

Because of their big start, UCSB is Hulk Hogan. Even into the early 90’s, Hogan was still dominant and still a good guy. Eventually he turned, but the bright yellow hulk tank from ’92 screams Isla Vista to me. 

Oh yeah, Brother!

Really though, Hulk Hogan was a centerpiece of WWF for most of two decades and UCSB has a rich history and is still the favorite in my mind. The Gauchos as Hulk just makes sense to me. 

UC Davis (3-2) 

UC Davis was my preseason #1 pick. Jim Les has an intense game demeanor that, under the surface, I know is basically Ric Flair. The Nature Boy was a top-3 dominant personality in the sport for years. Kids at my high school used to put up both hands and go WOOOOOOOOOO on a regular basis. One of our student body presidents used to read the announcements in homage to Flair just about every morning. 

A few years ago, I might have picked Long Beach State to be Flair. They were the team who was always there — year after year. Davis has become that team now. They have the marquee talent in the conference in Chima Monecke. They have worked hard to get relevant and they’ll do everything they can to stay there, even if it means turning heel sometimes. 

UC Irvine (3-3)

Russell Turner continues to amaze. He’s lost two seven-footers in recent years, but still boasts the biggest team in the conference in the paint. Between Jonathon Galloway, Tommy Rutherford, Elston Jones, and Brad Greene, UCI’s power forward nearly always has a post-up advantage against the opponent. Last night, the Anteaters outscored Cal Poly 44-16 in the paint. UCI has talented guards too, but for me they are Big Boss Man. 

Big Boss Man was, first and foremost, big. He didn’t let anybody get away with anything, and that’s the way UCI has played over the past 3-5 years. The Anteaters take advantage of opponents’ mistakes and don’t let them get away with anything either. To beat the Big Boss Man, you had to be on the top of your game. Same with UCI this season. 

CSUN (2-3)

I didn’t really know where to put the Matadors, so I enlisted some help. Ghizal Hasan, their radio voice, said Razor Ramon would be a good choice. So we’ll go with Ramon. 

Ramon was good times. CSUN can be good times too when things are going well. The hair is amazing. I had one other person vote for Hardy Boys for CSUN. 

Cal Poly (1-4)

The Mustangs won their first game in wild fashion, and thank goodness they did. Cal Poly has since lost three straight including last night in Irvine. They are at their best when their games are a little weird. They have some very specialized skills, and also some very specific weaknesses. 

I couldn’t find anywhere to put them, so maybe they’re Sgt. Slaughter. Maybe it works. Cal Poly is a pretty conservative campus overall. 

As a Cal Poly fan, I’ll say this — Sgt. Slaughter isn’t afraid of anybody. Neither is Cal Poly. Sgt. Slaughter is self-made. Lots of Cal Poly guys are too — many are JUCO transfers or transfers from other larger programs. Yeah, I think Sgt. Slaughter is a decent proxy for the Mustangs. 

UC Riverside (0-5)

I don’t want to pile-on. This group lost their head coach on New Year’s Day. They’ve been without their star point guard for all of conference play so far. What wrestler should UCR be?!

I thought about this one not very much, but the guy who I haven’t gotten on this list yet is Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Since it’s pretty unorthodox to fire a coach midseason, and having a huge python in the ring is also pretty uncommon, maybe this is a match made in heaven. Jake the Snake. 

Dude, how did they let Macho Man get bit by Jake’s snake? Holy crap. 

This week Owen and Nick relive probably the most exciting home weekend in over a decade for Cal Poly basketball. The Mustangs are 1-1 and headed to Hawai’i, so what better time to bring in Brian McInnis (around the 58 minute mark). McInnis is the beat reporter for the Honolulu Star Advertiser for Hawai’i. We talk some Hawai’i hoops and preview Wednesday night’s game in Hawai’i. 

Big West season is upon us! Owen and Nick give their first-half All-Big West players and talk through the tiers of teams as it stands at the moment. Cal Poly plays UCSB and Cal State Fullerton in Mott Athletics Center this week. 

The last time Cal Poly volleyball was poised to win the Big West title, Hawai’i wasn’t even in the conference. This year, though, has been different. Cal Poly has been in the top-25 for a few weeks now and are still undefeated in Big West Conference play. On Friday night, they beat Hawai’i in a five-set thriller.

The Cal Poly volleyball team celebrates after beating Hawai’i for the second time this season. Photo by Owen Main

For the first time in what seems like forever, the Mustang volleyball team is in the driver’s seat with five games to play. 

With their second victory over the Rainbow Wahine, Sam Crosson’s squad now has an effective three-match lead over Hawai’i and UC Irvine with just five matches left in the regular season. 

Let’s play five

The match on Friday started ugly. Multiple service errors and errant passes on defense kept the Mustangs from getting into any kind of rhythm. Cal Poly was able to get some of that rhythm in the second set and tied the match going into the break. 

The third and fourth sets were a grind. Hawai’i stormed back from a six-point defecit late in the third to take it, but Cal Poly once again rallied in the fourth, setting up the decisive fifth set. 

In the fifth, the teams didn’t seem to have much between them, until Cal Poly took a lead late. With the score tied at 14, Cal Poly scored the 15th point. After a Hawai’i point tied the match at 15, the Mustangs won two in a row to seal the match. 

Seniors show out

Taylor Nelson had 63 assists in the match, including some Sam Crosson said were simply a force of will. 

With Hawai’i focusing on stopping the Van Winden sisters, Raeann Greisen had what might have been her best match, notching 20 kills and hitting. 306 for the match. Junior Adlee Van Winden was also very efficient with 17 kills of her own and a .372 hitting percentage. 

At middle blocker, Savannah Niemen held her own against the taller Hawai’i team, managing 11 kills. 

There will be a few more games at Mott this year, but none will be as memorable as the Hawai’i game. 

Five year plan

Five years ago, Sam Crosson took over a program in shambles. His first few years weren’t easy as the program transitioned players from the previous regime out and got his players in. The Mustangs have been at the top of the conference’s second tier of teams for the past few years, but haven’t been able to break through. 

With new coaches at Hawai’i and Long Beach State this season, along with the addition of Torrey Van Winden to Cal Poly’s already-potent lineup, this was the year for Cal Poly to assert themselves at the top of the conference. 

Barring some kind of historic meltdown, that’s just what this Cal Poly team has done.

Tournament time?

With a top-25 ranking and a conference title likely, Cal Poly will almost definitely make the NCAA tournament. While they’ve hosted a tournament game before, the Mustangs aren’t likely to this season. That’s because the tournament has “regionals,” kind of like baseball, that use a bid process. Sure, they’ll take into account the solid record the Mustangs have amassed.

But the NCAA doesn’t like to make teams travel too far in sports like volleyball and with Stanford and USC ahead of them in RPI and UCLA ahead of them in the coaches poll, it would be unlikely the Mustangs could/would outbid three California-based Pac 12 schools for the right to host. 

But I suppose anything’s possible. 

Currently Cal Poly is ranked 23rd in the coaches poll and 21st in the RPI. 

Cal Poly has just one game this week, hosting UCSB on Friday night at 7pm at Mott Athletic Center, before two games at home and two on the road in subsequent weeks to finish the season. 

To view or purchase photos from Friday night’s match, click here. 

If you just want to contribute to the cause, Venmo @Owen-Main or paypal owen@fansmanship.com. 

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.

Okay, day one of the Big West Tournament is in the books and I went 2 for 2.  I am a .500 prognosticator.  But, as we say in show business, “The show must go on”! (I have literally never heard anyone say this). Here are my picks for Round Two of the Big West Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Game #1: #1 Hawaii vs #4 UCSB

UCSB has won nine games in a row, and Hawaii is just really good, so this has the potential to be a really great game. I think Hawaii is the better team, but this is the right time of the year for a team to be hot, and UCSB has some momentum. Their mascots are really cool (Gauchos vs. Rainbow Warriors), so I can’t give an advantage there. So, let’s move on to notable alumni. One of the biggest alumni of UCSB is the great actor Michael Douglas. He has been a myriad of great films, and was excellent recently in “Ant-Man”. For Hawaii, we have the man who created the man, Barack Obama, Sr. To be fair, Daddy Obama wasn’t always there for Barack, in fact, he was not there at all, but he is still responsible for giving us our current President, so I think that gives a little bit of an edge

Winner: Hawaii

Game #2: #2 UC Irvine vs. #3 Long Beach State

Justin Bibbins has tangibly improved his game by leaps and bounds over the past two years for Long Beach State. By Owen Main

This also looks to be a good game, as the classic LA vs. OC rivalry is ignited. This means a lot to me because I was raised in Orange County, but now I live in LA County. I am kind of repping LA until I die now, so for me it is hard to go against Strong Beach, especially since their alumni game is mad strong (Steve Martin, Steven Spielberg). However, UC Irvine, and it’s notable alumni, John Lovitz, in the end is just going to be too much for them. It pains me to say it because I left the OC fifteen years ago, and have never looked back.  There’s a lot of pain there.  And don’t get me started about the Irvine Spectrum!!!!!

Winner: UC Irvine.

Yeah, that’s the ticket…

That’s it for today.  Stay tuned for tomorrow’s championship pick!

Hi,

So the Big West Tournament starts in about four hours, and I am hoping to give my daily picks as to who is going to win each game, and I have a hunch, each game is going to be chosen for some insane reason, because I am a crazy person (which I have said several times in my posts).  Okay, no time like the present, so let’s get to some picks.

The longest-tenured Big West head coach, Bob Williams looks to avoid an upset at the hands of his former team. By Owen Main

Game #1: #4 U.C. Santa Barbara vs. #5 U.C. Davis

The Bob Williams Bowl!  Yes, Bob Williams used to coach at UC Davis, and led them to the (Division II) National Championship in 1998 as you can read about here A guy I played with in high school actually started on that team.  That means nothing to what I am currently writing, just felt like saying it.

This was like twenty years ago now, and I am sure there is almost no bad blood between the two teams, so this one is kind of a toss-up.  That being said I have to pick someone, so I am going to say the Aggies get revenge on the man who created them a la Kylo Ren killing Han Solo (this is no longer a spoiler when the film makes billions of dollars).

pick: UC Davis

Game #2: #1 Hawaii vs. #8 Cal State Fullerton

This doesn’t need to take long.

pick: Hawaii

Game #3: #2 UC Irvine vs. #7 Cal Poly

Now, as a “journalist” (that just sounds weird when talking about myself), I need to be unbiased here, and call this game the way I see it, but as a Cal Poly alumnus, it’s really hard to go against the Mustangs.  In reality, UC Irvine is the pick here.  They have a legit argument for making the tournament if they don’t win the conference tournament, and they will be playing post-season basketball regardless.  They have NBA talent on their team, and the Mustangs really don’t have anyone who can match up with their big three.

pick: Cal Poly

Game #4: #3 Long Beach State vs. UC Riverside

The nightcap, which features probably the greatest mascot match up, which is saying a lot based on the other match ups, but I mean 49ers vs. Higlanders (seriously why have I not written a post about the Highlander mascot and the Highlander movies.  That’s coming). That being said, Pound State (LBS) would be the top team in the conference if UC Irvine or Hawaii didn’t exist, so…

pick: Strong Beach

Those are my picks for today!  Check back tomorrow for the next round.  Now as my homegirl Heidi Klum says: Let’s start the show!

I’ve watched a lot of Big West basketball this year. Not like Trent Schlom or Richie Schueler level, but still, a lot. Probably too much.

Here’s a quick break-down of how each Big West Tournament team could get hot and win the title. Cal Poly was a 7-seed two years ago, so I guess nobody is truly safe, starting in the first round.

1 – Hawai’i (12-4 conference record)

Hawai’i’s Eran Ganot was the Big West coach of the year. By Owen Main

To win the tournament, Hawai’i will have to do what they’ve done all season. The Rainbow Warriors have continued to be relentless on defense and have run offense in a really efficient way. Roderick Bobbitt and Big West Player of the Year Stefan Jankovic are a great 1-2 punch and Aaron Valdes gets to go on a personal 8-0 run from time to time. Isaac Fleming left the program in the middle of conference play and Hawai’i did lose to UC Davis late in the year at home, but that might not be a bad thing for this club going into the tournament.

Hawai’i made the Big West final last year, giving guys valuable experience and they beat the conference’s second-best team twice this year. I think we now what we’re getting from Bobbitt and Jankovic at this point. Teams are scheming hard against them. Valdes as the third scorer could win a game on his own, and not many teams have a guy like that. He’s the kind of player who can go for 6 points or 36 points and Hawai’i may need at least one or two BIG games out of him in Anaheim.

2 – UC Irvine

Russell Turner’s Anteaters are looking for back to back tournament titles. By Owen Main

The Anteaters went to their first NCAA Tournament in 2015 and most of their team is back this year. They are one of the most calm teams under pressure. Whatever they’re good at, they have two or three guys who can do it. Luke Nelson and Alex Young can shoot off the dribble or pass with the best of them — and at the right times too. Mamadou Ndiaye makes like tough for opponents inside, but Ioannis Dimakopoulos is 7’3″ and would start on most other Big West teams. Oh yeah, Mike Best is 6’10” and has range from the 4 or could play the 5 in a UCI “small” lineup.

Russell Turner’s team is always well-prepared. Look for how Luke Nelson is shooting in the tournament. Usually he likes to pick his spots, but he may need to get hot in a second half or two for UCI to make a big run.

3 – Long Beach State (12-4 conference record)

Nick Faust is one of the most explosive players in the Big West. By Owen Main

Even in down years, Long Beach State never seems to be below third or fourth. This season, a group led by sophomore Justin Bibbins and transfers Nick Faust and Gabe Levin were able to gel quickly en route to a 12-4 record, one game out of first place in the conference.

Faust is clearly the best player on Long Beach State, but Bibbins has really excelled this season and is the little engine that makes the 49ers go. He’s a sophomore point guard who leads on the court. If he hadn’t have been injured for part of this season, Long Beach State might have had an even better record. Teams will do everything they can to make Bibbins uncomfortable, but with talent like Travis Hammonds, Levin, and Faust around him, that won’t be an easy task.

Long Beach State is where I start talking more about matchups. With the conference tournament re-seeded for the second round, things could get wacky. I never count a Dan Monson team out, though. Nobody would be surprised if the 49ers ride point guard leadership and the best pure talent in the conference to a tournament title.

4 – UC Santa Barbara (11-5 conference record)

Michael Bryson is probably the best all-around player in the Big West. By Owen Main

The Gauchos are the hottest team in the conference for sure, but this is where we get even deeper into talking about match-ups. UCSB does a great job playing to their strengths — lots of offensive movement and guards getting shots and drives they want to. Gabe Vincent can get as hot as anybody in the conference and Michael Bryson has developed his game enough to get some serious looks from people at the next level. Again, a third scorer in John Green could be a guy to watch out for in the tournament as could the combination of Mitch Brewe and Sam Beeler. The two UCSB bigs know their roles, set hard screens, and get lots of easy buckets. If other teams can jam-up their motion offense, keep limit the big men’s layups and make UCSB settle for contested jumpers, it could be a good game plan.

It’s easier said then done. UCSB’s offense is relentless and makes defenses pay dearly for every lapse and sometimes it doesn’t matter whether Vincent’s jumpers are contested. Bob Williams has completely retooled this team this season and his conference tournament experience can’t be ignored as a huge advantage for the Gauchos.

5 – UC Davis (6-10 conference record)

The Aggies are last year’s regular season Big West champs and lost a lot of talent. With that in mind, getting to fifth place in the conference is a big deal. Head coach Jim Les has developed his team into one who can beat anybody. Davis went through a six-game losing streak in the second round of conference play. They played UCSB close twice, but lost both regular season games.

If Davis is to win, they need one or two of their guards to have big games. Brynton Lamar and Darius Graham have both been a little better than expected this year and Neal Monson has stabilized the inside, leading the conference in rebounds. There are lots of ways UC Davis could lose, but to win, they’ll need to shoot well, take care of the ball, and play the tough defense that has kept them in most games they played this season.

6 – UC Riverside (5-11 conference record)

Jaylen Bland can be a cold-blooded assassin scorer and makes UCR dangerous with or without Taylor Johns. By Owen Main

The Highlanders were dealt a big blow when Taylor Johns was dismissed from the team halfway through conference play. One can imagine the tumult that can cause and the kind of effect it has when a returning all-conference senior star is kicked off the team.

Sometimes teams respond to something like that with strong play. UCR lost four of their final five games after the Johns dismissal and have a tough matchup against Long Beach State. To beat the 49ers, the Highlanders will have to get some big-time production and defensive play from Secean Johnson and Jaylen Bland. While they have some good players left — they beat Hawai’i in Honolulu post-Johns’ departure — the loss of Johns would have been the single player I didn’t think any team could lose in the conference this year. Truly, if UCR can overcome and get to the second round or make a big run, it will be a huge story. The team isn’t playing great. The matchup isn’t great. The circumstances aren’t great. But it’s March. Bland can be a cold-blooded assassin and loves making crucial free throws. Stranger things have happened.

7 – Cal Poly (4-12 conference record)

I can’t wait to see what David Nwaba has in store for his final Big West Conference Tournament. By Owen Main

OK, I’m not impartial on this one. I would love to see Cal Poly win. That said, I think may be a path for them here. It’s all going to come down to Thursday though.

The Mustangs are a team with enough talent to play close with everybody in the Big West. The question will be: can they finish? And they don’t have any more margin for error. Normally I’d say that taking the beatings they have throughout the year in the heartbreaking fashion they’ve taken them would be a negative, but then I start thinking about two years ago. In 2014 they lost bad to 2nd seeded UCSB at home in the final week of the season, only to beat them by 30-plus points the following week.

This year, they lost a game at UCI in the final week of the season and have lost four in a row going into the conference tournament. There isn’t any real reason to think they can do it, except that they’ve done it before and games up ’til now have been close. The Mustangs lost seven conference games by 4 points or less.

If a few shots start to fall in the Honda Center, will UCI start to have flashbacks and tighten up? Cal Poly were a freshman defensive brain fart away from beating the Anteaters in SLO. Might Cal Poly be ready to make a leap forward?

They’re the seven seed, so it’s not likely. But after two years ago, when lots of the guys on this team contributed to an NCAA Tournament run, I’m not counting anything out.

8 – Cal State Fullerton (3-13 conference record)

You better believe Fullerton is going to play loose and fluid against Hawai’i. By Owen Main

I really think the 1-8 and 2-7 games could be the most fun of Thursday’s games in Anaheim. Cal State Fullerton caught fire from three-point range when I saw them in-person. They only shoot 33 percent from three-point range as a team, but Malcom Brooks, Khalil Ahmad, and Tre Coggins are capable.

You better believe Diedrique Taylor’s team will compete and, like UC Irvine, I believe that Hawai’i is most vulnerable in the first round. If Coggins can hang with Bobbitt and the Titans can neutralize Jovanovich for most of the first half, I’d say Fullerton has a chance. It’s a super long shot, but nothing would surprise me in this year’s Big West.

What’s really going to happen?

The obvious final is UC Irvine vs. Hawai’i. My prediction is that if either of those teams win in the first round, they’ll make it to the final. If one of them loses in the first round, stuff could get really interesting.

Given conference records, the second round will be the best, but I think the first will be just as entertaining.

First round winners:

Hawai’i

UC Irvine

Long Beach State

UC Davis

Second round winners:

Hawai’i

UC Irvine

Champion: UC Irvine

Tournament MVP: Luke Nelson

I really wanted to pick Cal Poly over UC Irvine, but I just can’t. Go ahead guys, prove me wrong. I guess I’ll say this — the tournament winner is the winner of that first round game between the Anteaters and Mustangs.

Here’s to a great tourney.

Trent Schlom is all Southern California. The Orange County native went to Orange Lutheran High School, Chapman University, and is the play-by-play broadcaster for the Big West’s ESPN3 games. Still in his early 20’s Schlom’s Big West broadcasts on ESPN3 are as good as any, and you can tell by listening to the conversation just how much preparation he puts into everything he does.

With the conference season kicking off this week with three games on ESPN3, I wanted to get Trent’s thoughts on the upcoming conference season, who the teams are to watch, and who might be a surprise in the Big West. We even got an inside look at how