With conference play beginning in less than two weeks, the Big West Conference has done a pretty decent job in non-conference.

The Big West is the highest rated conference projected to have 1-bid into NCAA tournament. Only conf in top 12 not proj to have 2+ bids.

— Trent Schlom (@trentschlom) December 29, 2014

Two or three years ago, Joe Callero talked about wanting to help make the conference a two-bid conference. While this year may not be the year they break-through and get a second bid, they’re moving in the right direction.

As far as mid-majors go, the West is mostly strong. Mountain West is 9th, West Coast 11th, Big West 12th. The WAC has struggled (33rd).

— Trent Schlom (@trentschlom) December 29, 2014

I believe that, top to bottom, the conference is as competitive as it’s been in recent memory. I wanted to break-down Cal Poly’s eight remaining home games and give you the reason I will try to make it to all eight.

There are some senior players around the conference who seem like they’ve been there forever. Alex Harris at Cal State Fullerton, Stephan Hicks and Stephen Maxwell at CSUN, Alan Williams at UCSB, Mike Caffey at Long Beach State, and Will Davis II from UC Irvine all fit into this category.

They are all seniors who will be visiting Mott for the last time this season, and they’re all worth going to see.

Saturday, January 10 – UCSB

UCSB senior Alan Williams is the most dominant player in the Big West conference. By Owen Main

The UCSB game is always a fun one. Usually it comes later in the season, but this year, it’s the first conference home game of the year.

The Gauchos have been playing better recently. They took Oregon to overtime the other day and have a game against Oregon State coming up. They are definitely one of the top-3 teams in the conference.

Tables turned

In 2014, Cal Poly rode some hot shooting by Anthony Silvestri to Joe Callero’s first victory at the Thunderdome early in the conference season. In the Mustangs’ final home game of the year, UCSB trounced Cal Poly, winning by 16 points in a game that was never even that close.

A week later, the Mustangs started their improbable tournament run by returning the favor. They beat UCSB 69-38 that day at the Honda Center. They say anything goes in a good rivalry, and the Blue-Green basketball rivalry is as good as it’s ever been. To keep it good, one team can’t dominate.

UCSB was picked in the preseason media poll to finish second in the conference and they are one of three teams I think have the best shot to take the regular season title.

Big Al

If you’re looking for a Big West Player of the Year candidate, you might see him in this game. Alan Williams, a senior from Arizona, is poised to dominate in conference play. 56/25 Last season, Williams averaged 28 points and 12.5 rebounds in the two regular season games against Cal Poly.

As a freshman, Williams had to wait his turn behind Jaime Serna and Greg Somogyi. Even then, his talent, strength and ability to score in the post were all evident. Next season, Williams will definitely get a look by NBA teams. For now, he will have one more year to terrorize Big West post players. January 10th will be SLO fans’ final opportunity to see Big Al in Mott.

Thursday, January 22 – Cal State Fullerton

Second-year head coach Dedrique Taylor has used a wealth of transfers to rebuild the Titan program. By Owen Main

Under second-year head coach Dedrique Taylor, Cal State Fullerton is still in a transitional process. That said, they have managed a 6-7 record through today and seem to be playing well. They picked up a few wins at a tournament in South Carolina and recently beat Nevada in Reno by ten points.

Cal Poly lost to Nevada by 16 in their season-opening game.

Another common opponent this year has been Santa Clara. Both the Mustangs and Titans played at Santa Clara, with Cal Poly picking up the win and Fullerton losing by 17 early in the season. Clearly, Fullerton has improved as the season has gone on. Some fans might see this game as a gimme, but there aren’t any of those in the conference this year. Fullerton will win some games people don’t think they should this season. That’s the way this year’s going to go.

Transfers

One way Taylor has tried to build this team up quickly is with transfers. Currently, 13 of the 16 players on the roster have played college basketball somewhere else (at another four-year school or at a junior college).

Senior Alex Harris,leads the Titans with a 15.8 points per game average. Two newcomers have also contributed significantly thus far.

Forward Moses Morgan, a 6′ 6″ senior, is playing his final collegiate season after transferring from DePaul. Morgan averages 11 points per game. Lanerryl Johnson, a junior transfer from Central Arizona Junior College, pairs with Harris in the back court nicely, averaging almost 12 points per game, while shooting 40 percent from three-point range.

Senior forward Steve McClellan (Louisiana-Monroe) averages seven-plus rebounds to go along with six points per game.

The high player turnover in recent years coupled with an experienced team makes Cal State Fullerton maybe the most volatile team in the conference. No situation is likely to phase them, so expect them to be in a lot of games. If they can continue to make strides over the next few weeks, they’ll be a formidable opponent for any Big West foe.

Alex Harris

Harris has been one of the steadiest guards in the league over the past few years. I really like to see guys who stick with a coaching change reap the benefits of staying the course for themselves. If Fullerton moves forward into the conference tournament or beyond, Harris’ leadership will play a huge role.

He leads the team in points and assists and is third in rebounding. It’s safe to say that as he goes, so go the Titans.

Saturday, January 24- UC Riverside

Taylor Johns is UC Riverside’s go-to guy. The senior will make his final trip to Mott this year. By Owen Main

Cal Poly split last year’s season series with UC Riverside. Games against the Highlanders always seem close, no matter how well Cal Poly or UCR are playing.

UC Riverside was picked to finish ninth in the Big West preseason poll this year. Their 6-5 record includes wins against Portland State and Cal State Bakersfield, which have managed wins this year against USC and Cal respectively.

Like the Mustangs, UCR will have a winning record coming into conference play.

Foreign Influence

This year’s Highlanders boast players from the likes of Mali, Sweeden, the Netherlands, and China. Freshman forward, Alex Larsson (Sweden) is the biggest contributor of the foreign players, averaging about five points and five rebounds.

Using Johns

Junior Taylor Johns is UC Riverside’s best player. A 6′ 7″ forward, Johns presumably played at Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep in San Francisco with Cal Poly’s Anthony Silvestri. Cal Poly did a decent job on Johns last season, but he is averaging 15.6 points per game this year. Junior guard Jaylen Bland is also averaging over 13 points to make for a nice inside-out combination.

I’ll reiterate for those of you who might be thinking to blow-off this weekend in conference play. There are no easy games this year in the Big West.

Taylor Johns throws down at UCLA. The Big West has a lot of really good players. http://t.co/ccCzV9zMd9

— fansmanship (@fansmanship) December 30, 2014

Thursday, February 5 – Hawai’i

Hawai’i head coach Gib Arnold was fired prior to this season, but the team has really played well during the preseason. By Owen Main

Hawai’i’s season started off in tumultuous fashion. First, their coach Gib Arnold, was fired just days before the season started. Then their best player, Isaac Fotu, left the team.

In my conversation with beat writer Brian McInnis before the season started, we debated whether Hawai’i would actually end up as the ninth (last) place team in the conference. 

Out of the ashes…

Instead of putting their collective heads down, Hawai’i has played really well this preseason. Head coach Benjy Taylor has done a splendid job in leading the Rainbow Warriors to a 10-4 record. Early in the season, they beat Pittsburgh. Last week, they beat both Nebraska and Colorado and finished in third place in their tournament, the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.

It also doesn’t hurt that they hired one of my favorite UCLA shooters of the past, Brandon Lloyd, to fill an assistant coaching position.

Valdes and Nevels leading the way

Two guards — sophomore Aaron Valdes and senior Garrett Nevels — have led the charge so far for Hawai’i. The two are leading the team in scoring, with Valdes shooting 38 percent from three-point range. Guards dominate this roster, especially with the loss of Fotu. Only three of 14 players on their roster are listed as something other than a guard.

With so much solid perimeter play, Hawai’i is going to beat some good teams by a fairly wide margin in conference play. Their home-court advantage is unlike anything in the Big West.

If they can get a few breaks, maybe this year’s Hawai’i team is the one that overachieves in the conference tournament instead of making early exits as they have been the past few years.

Thursday, February 12 – Cal State Northridge

Reggie Theus has coached in college and in the pros. His intensity level on the sideline is riveting. It’s one of the reasons playing CSUN is never an easy task. By Owen Main

Cal State Northridge is sure to be one of the most intense teams to come to Mott this season. Their coach, Reggie Theus, exudes intensity and focus. Theus made an early-impact last year when he led the Matadors to the Big West Tournament final, where they lost to Cal Poly.

The Matadors are led by two of the most decorated players in the recent history of the conference in Stephan Hicks (17.6 ppg) and Stephen Maxwell (15.0 ppg).

Saddled with high expectations this season, CSUN hasn’t really had any signature non-conference wins. The Matadors have played three ranked teams though, including two top-10’s, and they will surely be playing at a lot higher level in the middle of the conference season when they arrive in SLO.

Rematch

This is a rematch of last year’s championship game, which was one for the ages. Reggie Theus won’t let his team think about coming into Mott complacent. The Mustangs also beat the Matadors at Mott last year as part of their 3-0 conference start.

More than the dynamic duo

CSUN is led by their dynamic duo in Hicks and Maxwell, but the emerging play of Tre Hale-Edmurson made them a really complete team in last year’s tournament. The 6’9″ junior with good athleticism, shooting range, and rebounding skill should make another big step this season in putting CSUN into the class of Long Beach State, UC Irvine, or UCSB.

Saturday, February 14 – Long Beach State

If Mike Caffey weren’t on the Long Beach State roster, Tyler Lamb would be my sleeper pick to win conference player of the year. By Owen Main

Long Beach State is ALWAYS one of my favorite Big West teams to watch. Dan Monson is really, really intersting to watch in terms of the types of players he recruits, how he motivates his players, and his x’s and o’s.

Monson’s teams have had a little drought in the conference since the likes of Casper Ware and T.J. Robinson left a few years ago, but I think this year’s 49ers are as deadly as ever.

The best backcourt in the conference

Mike Caffey and Tyler Lamb are the best backcourt in the Big West. Caffey is a player of the year candidate who averages 17.6 points and almost 4 assists per game. Lamb, a former highly-touted UCLA recruit, averages 10 points and 4.5 rebounds. Lamb is a matchup nightmare who has the ability to score 20-plus in any game and has been a polished offensive player for years.

The 49ers were picked to finish third this year — behind UC Irvine and UCSB. I think any of those teams could make a run in conference play and earn the 1-seed in the conference tournament.

Trends in college basketball say guard play is crucial. The last time Long Beach State has a senior point guard, Casper Ware was running the show and was the conference’s MVP. Caffey could be primed to follow in Ware’s footsteps.

Mike Caffey scored 23 at No. 9 Texas tonight. Mike Caffey is pretty good in case you haven't heard. ICYMI: http://t.co/2SpExMyfHN

— Abbey Mastracco (@AbbeyMastracco) December 21, 2014

Never count out the 49ers

Long Beach State being picked third is like picking the Patriots not to win the AFC East. Even when there are glaring weaknesses, you just don’t feel good about the pick.

The 49ers have to figure out some things in the front court, but look for senior forward David Samuels to provide some stability up-front. He doesn’t have to be great, but he does need to play well enough against opposing big-men to give Caffey and Lamb a chance.

The one nightmare matchup for Long Beach State seems to be UC Irvine. But, I suppose, UC Irvine is going to be a nightmare matchup for everyone in this conference.

Thursday, February 26 – UC Irvine

Mamadou Ndiaye is the tallest player in the country and he leads UC Irvine in scoring. By Owen Main

For the second consecutive season, UC Irvine was picked as the preseason favorite to win the conference. Russell Turner has done a wonderful job of building-up the program since he arrived. To put it simply, the Anteaters are stacked.

Will Davis II, now a senior, has been a physical beast since he joined UCI three seasons ago. His dunk at the end of a game against Long Beach State in the Honda Center two years ago is in my top-3 I’ve seen since I started covering the Big West. His game has expanded over the past two years, as he’s had to spread the floor while playing with a 7′ 6″ center — sophomore Mamadou Ndiaye.

Surrounding Davis and Ndiaye are a corps of guards who can take over a game on both ends of the floor. Sophomore, Luke Nelson (Worthing, England), torched Cal Poly for 15 points in Mott last season. Junior guard Alex Young is third on the team in scoring and second in assists.

Will Davis II’s nasty dunk on Long Beach State from a few years ago. #InDaFace. By Will Parris

Ndiaye getting better

“I wanted to see the big guy,” a Cal Poly freshman fan told me last season, when explaining that Cal Poly’s “blackout” didn’t bring him to the game. Rather, a 7-foot, six-inch freshman coming to town was the reason he attended.

Ndiaye gave Cal Poly a different look, and he gave Chris Eversley a dunk of the year opportunity, but UCI took the game.

This year, Ndiaye, in only 19 minutes, leads the Anteaters in scoring at over 12 points per game. His free throw shooting has improved and he is no longer a liability on the offensive end. Ndiaye isn’t blocking quite as many shots, but his effect on the entire offensive game plan of other teams can’t be denied.

Still learning the finer points of the game of basketball, Ndiaye has been described as a really great kid. He is a difference-maker on and off the court.

Balance

If all the weapons weren’t enough, this team is incredibly balanced, Nobody scores even 13 points per game, four players average double-figures, and six players average more than six points per game.

Is Ndiaye hurt? No worry. Senior John Ryan is 6′ 10″ and more than capable as a backup. There just aren’t any holes on this team’s roster.

That said, the one that that derailed UCI in their Big West Tournament loss to Cal Poly is the thing that makes them great. They do not have one clear go-to guy. Every team doesn’t necessarily have to have one, but it is helpful.

In his sophomore season, I think a pick and roll between Luke Nelson and Davis II sounds like a pretty good late-game play to me.

Saturday, February 28 – UC Davis

UC Davis has played a spoiler role for Cal Poly in recent seasons. They beat a stale Cal Poly team in the middle of conference play last year at Mott while the Mustangs were in the midst of a four-game conference losing streak.

Coach Jim Les’ team is much-improved this year. They started the season 6-0 and currently stand at 9-2. They’ve played just one “FBS” conference team, losing recently to Washington State in a close game, but they should have a high level of confidence going into league play.

Hawkins as good as they come

Corey Hawkins is the best pure scorer in the conference. The senior, who transferred to UC Davis from Arizona State, scores in just about every way imaginable. His shooting touch shows shades of his father, Hersey, and his game drips of professional class. Hawkins alone would be a reason to come see UC Davis play.

This season, Hawkins is averaging 20.9 points and 5 rebounds per game. He is definitely a top-5 player in the conference and I would have zero surprise if he ended up winning the conference’s MVP award, especially if UC Davis makes it into the top half of the conference standings.

Ernie Kent said last night that UC Davis' Corey Hawkins, formerly of ASU, is "as good as we'll see in the (Pac-12)."

— Jacob Thorpe (@JacobThorpeSR) December 29, 2014

Adenrele is back

I mentioned my top-3 dunks I’ve seen covering the Big West. One of them is the Eversley dunk on Ndiaye. The second is Will Davis II’s nasty dunk on Long Beach State. J.T. Adenrele has the third.

Two years ago, I had to leave Mott Athletics Center to take a phone call at halftime. Upon my return, the second half had just begun and I saw a man amongst boys who attacked the rim with ferocity I hadn’t seen in-person since Shaq Diesel.

OK, I’m probably talking in some hyperbole here, but the impact of Adenrele this season cannot be overlooked.

Depth

Josh Ritchart, averaging 12.5 points per game for the Aggies this season, was headed to an all-Big West selection last year before he got hurt nine games into last season. He is back as well, and he and Adenrele really make for a solid front line.

Also back is Tyler Les, the head coach’s son. The senior point guard redshirted last season and has been coming off the bench to provide some shooting and leadership for the second unit. Josh Fox, a 6′ 6″ forward, transferred in this season from the City College of San Francisco. Fox, who spent his freshman season at UC Riverside, has only started one game and is still the team’s third-leading scorer, averaging 10 points.

The Aggies’ dynamic depth and ability to change lineups will make them difficult to game-plan for. Being that it’s the last home game of the season for Cal Poly, this matchup will probably have Big West Tournament seeding scenarios all over it. The way this season has set-up, the winner might be able to avoid one of the top-3 teams in the first round.

What about Cal Poly?

So, what about the Mustangs. I wrote this about them earlier this week. Things seemed kind of bleak early in the year. Taylor Sutlive and Zach Gordon were lost for the season and David Nwaba was coming off of wrist surgery.

David Nwaba is fast becoming one of the best players in the Big West Conference. By Owen Main

Sutlive’s shooting has been missed as has Gordon’s defense, but somehow Cal Poly has found a way to be decent thus far. A lot of it has been related to Nwaba’s ability to take his game to the next level while his wrist healed. With only one game remaining before conference play, they’ve ensured at least a .500 record going into conference play, something a lot of fans paying attention might not have bet on a few weeks ago.

I could still see Cal Poly finishing anywhere between 3rd and 9th in the Big West’s regular season. There are just so many talented teams in the conference that nothing would surprise me. That said, don’t under-rate a four game run in March and its potential impact on a team’s confidence moving forward.

Have you seen David Nwaba's (@calpolymbb) dunk against Northeastern last Wednesday yet? Boomshakalaka!… http://t.co/7lZtfABtmh #calpoly

— SLO News (@slonews) December 22, 2014

This season will be a fun one at Mott Athletics Center both because of the excitement of last season and because of the top-to-bottom quality of the teams Cal Poly will be playing.

I want to hear which game sounds the most fun to you. Comment below.

Mott was hopping on Saturday night. By Owen main

“I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN! I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN!”

It was a soccer chant in the middle of a basketball game. It should have come while the Mustangs were on defense. As about a thousand students jumped and chanted in a trance-like state, Cal Poly freshman Taylor Sutlive took a three-pointer that could have brought the crowd into a huge frenzy and the UC Irvine lead to single-digits. I got chills as the shot went up, almost in slow-motion. It was a glimpse into the best timeline at what Cal Poly basketball has the potential to become — for everyone involved.

On this night, though, in what was basically a microcosm of the game, Sutlive’s shot rimmed out, Irvine scored consecutive baskets, and the game was effectively put-away.

Even though Cal Poly lost, fans who were able to get into a sold-out Mott Athletics Center were big winners on Saturday night. For at least the past two years, Cal Poly basketball fans have been ripe for some encouragement and organization. What better place to draw inspiration from than the Mustang Manglers, and their chant of faith?

This atmosphere is what every sports fan in San Luis Obispo should want. By Owen Main

Pregame

Fans showed-up early for this one. The 8:00 pm start helped, but the student section was over half-full by 7:15 and by 7:45, the bleachers across from the opponents’ bench — in the student section — were filled to the brim with black-clad Mustang supporters.

Instead of a typically late-showing student section, Saturday’s was early and excited, creating an energy in Mott Athletics Center that I don’t think I had ever felt.

Signs

Lots of fans brought signs for the nationally-televised game — some more appropriate than others. The heads of Joe Callero, David Nwaba, and Joel Awich were some of my favorites. In a twist on bringing in signs, one fan brought an umbrella and briefly opened it following each of Cal Poly’s eight three-pointers. You see, it was “raining threes” inside of Mott.

The Dunk

Chris Eversley’s first-half dunk on 7′ 6″ Mamadou Ndiaye was the highlight of the night. Actually, it was third in SportsCenter’s Top-10 countdown.

Here’s the Eversley dunk from another angle. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, Irvine was not phased beyond Russell Turner’s technical foul that immediately ensued. By Owen Main

Eversley’s dunk was one of the last moments of pure elation for the Mustangs. Their second unit came in shortly thereafter and Irvine pounced, building a double-digit lead at halftime that they held tightly to throughout the second half.

Irvine is good

The Anteaters were the media’s pick in the preseason to win the Big West and might be even better in-person. Like last year’s Cal Poly team, it’s not always clear where the points will come from, but there are probably six or seven guys who can really score and gain a mismatch on offense on a given night.

Their zone defense was well-prepared and well-executed, too. Most zones give up a lot of offensive rebounds, but Irvine out-rebounded Cal Poly 20-12 overall in the first half and never looked back.

Keep it up

I heard at least five or six fans who are there a lot say some variation of, “We need this to be the way it is all the time.”

I agree. Cal Poly has always had the potential for an obnoxiously loud fan-base. The best part about the fans making noise was when it was student-led. In the second half, at least three students, who I would guess are part of the Mustang Manglers, were leading cheers and chants, keeping the student section riled up. A group of organized students and fans can make the game more enjoyable for other students and fans and continue to foster a great college basketball atmosphere.

It’s not like Mott has never been a madhouse before. If you want inspiration, look at this video from 1985-86.

The kind of environment any Cal Poly sports fan wants is right there in front of them. In soccer, fans will come out no matter how good or bad the team is. It’s become engrained in the culture of going to school at Cal Poly. In two weeks, when the Mustangs return home, I suppose we’ll find out whether students and fans from the community are really ready to fully commit to making that a reality in Mott Athletics Center as well.

[See image gallery at www.fansmanship.com]