Big West Conference Recap
by Shaan Hassan
The conference season started unusually with UCSB playing very poorly and teams such as Cal Poly SLO and Idaho starting well. But when all was said and done, it was the most consistent team in the conference, Utah State, which advanced through to the NCAA and the regular season champion, UC Santa Barbara, competing in the NIT.
Cal Poly SLO was the Cinderella in the conference that eventually upset UCSB in the tournament. That set up a match-up against Utah State. To get there, the Aggies beat their archrival UCI, which had beaten them twice during the regular season. Utah State won the most meaningful game against the Anteaters and then broke Cinderella’s glass slipper.
But that was about it. 15th seed Utah State put up a valiant effort against second-seed Kansas in the NCAA tournament’s first round and was within one three-pointer of sending it to overtime. Yet, Kansas survived 64-61 March 20 and is now battling for a championship. UCSB received an invite to the NIT and met San Diego State in the first round. Like Utah State, the Gauchos almost seemed like they were ready to advance, but their opponent never let them. San Diego State defeated UCSB 67-62 at San Diego State March 19.
Shaan’s Stand-Outs
First Team All-Conference:
Utah State forward Desmond Penigar
Utah State center Spencer Nelson
UCSB forward Branduinn Fullove
Cal State Fullerton guard Ralphy Holmes
Cal Poly SLO’s Varney Dennis
Player of the Year:
Utah State senior forward Desmond Penigar. UCSB forward Branduinn Fullove was the conference’s pick, but including the tournament, Penigar came up with huge performances against Irvine and nearly single-handedly defeated Kansas. Through the season, Penigar averaged 15.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game to go with a 47 percent shooting percentage.
Freshman of the Year: Riverside guard Nate Carter
Newcomer of the Year: Cal State Fullerton guard Ralphy Holmes
Defensive Player of the Year: UCI guard Jeff Gloger
Coach of the Year:
Idaho’s Leonard Perry. Perry guided a team that featured three players above 6-6, none taller than 6-9 into a 9-9 conference season that included match-ups against several bigger, taller players. I picked the Vandals to finish last. They ended fourth.
Team Reviews
UC Santa Barbara (18-14, 14-4)
Starters leaving: Mark Hull
Starters staying: Nick Jones, Jacoby Atako, Branduinn Fullove, Bryan Whitehead
Key players staying: Nick Jones, Jacoby Atako, Branduinn Fullove
Leading scorer: Branduinn Fullove, 15 points per game
Leading rebounder: Mark Hull, 5.0 rebounds per game
Leading assists guy: Jacoby Atako, 3.1 assists per game
UC Irvine (20-9, 13-5)
Starters leaving: Jordan Harris, Mike Hood
Starters staying: Jeff Gloger, Stanislav Zuzak, Adam Parada
Key players staying: Jeff Gloger, Stanislav Zuzak, Adam Parada, Matt Okoro
Leading scorer: Jordan Harris, 12.7 points per game
Leading rebounder: Adam Parada, 6.2 rebounds per game
Leading assists guy: Jeff Gloger, 3.0 assists per game
Utah State (24-9, 12-6)
Starters leaving: Ronnie Ross, Desmond Penigar
Starters staying: Spencer Nelson, Mark Brown, Cardell Butler
Key players staying: Toraino Johnson, Spencer Nelson, Mark Brown, Cardell Butler, Chad Evans
Leading scorer: Desmond Penigar, 15.4 points per game
Leading rebounder: Spencer Nelson, 7.3 rebounds per game
Leading assists guy: Mark Brown, 4.6 assists per game
Cal Poly SLO (16-14, 10-8)
Starters leaving: Jason Allen, Steve Geary, Eric Jackson
Starters staying: Varney Dennis, Shane Schilling
Key players staying: Varney Dennis, Shane Schilling
Leading scorer: Varney Dennis, 17.5 points per game
Leading rebounder: Varney Dennis, 7.2 rebounds per game
Leading assists guy: Jason Allen, 2.7 assists per game
Idaho (13-15, 9-9)
Starters leaving: Justin Logan
Starters staying: Tyrone Hayes, Tanoris Shepard, Dwayne Williams, Rashaad Powell
Key players staying: Tyrone Hayes, Tanoris Shepard, Dwayne Williams, Rashaad Powell, Jon Tinnon, Jack May
Leading scorer: Tyrone Hayes, 13.1 points per game
Leading rebounder: Tyrone Hayes, 6.6 rebounds per game
Leading assists guy: Justin Logan, 3.9 assists per game
Cal State Fullerton (10-19, 8-10)
Starters leaving: None
Starters staying: Anthony Bolton, Zakee Smith, Derick Andrew, Pape Sow, Ralphy Holmes
Key players staying: Anthony Bolton, Zakee Smith, Derick Andrew, Pape Sow, Ralphy Holmes, Federic Holm-Hadulla
Leading scorer: Ralphy Holmes, 16.8 points per game
Leading rebounder: Pape Sow, 8.8 rebounds per game
Leading assists guy: Zakee Smith, 4.7 assists per game
Cal State Northridge (14-15, 8-10)
Starters leaving: Lionel Benjamin
Starters staying: Ian Boylan, Curtis Slaughter, Chris Davis, John Clark
Key players staying: Ian Boylan, Curtis Slaughter, Chris Davis, John Clark
Leading scorer: Ian Boylan, 15.8 points per game
Leading rebounder: Lionel Benjamin, 5.3 rebounds per game
Leading assists guy: Curtis Slaughter, 4.2 assists per game
Pacific (12-16, 7-11)
Starters leaving: Demetrius Jackson
Starters staying: Christian Maraker, Miah Davis, Matt Kemper, Jasko Korajkic
Key players staying: Christian Maraker, Miah Davis, Matt Kemper, Jasko Korajkic, Myree Bowden
Leading scorer: Demetrius Jackson, 13.6 points per game
Leading rebounder: Christian Maraker, 6.1 rebounds per game
Leading assists guy: Demetrius Jackson, 3.0 assists per game
UC Riverside (6-18, 5-13)
Starters leaving: John Galbreath, Aaron Hands
Starters staying: Nate Carter, Ted Bell, Kevin Butler
Key players staying: Nate Carter, Ted Bell, Kevin Butler, Klaus Schille
Leading scorer: Nate Carter, 16.3 points per game
Leading rebounder: Aaron Hands, 5.9 rebounds per game
Leading assists guy: Kevin Butler, 2.9 assists per game
Long Beach State (5-22, 4-14)
Starters leaving: Tony Darden, Vance Lawhorn, Lemi Williams
Starters staying: Kevin Roberts, Darnell Thompson
Key players staying: Jibril Hodges, Cody Pearson, Kevin Roberts, Darnell Thompson
Leading scorer: Tony Darden, 15.9 points per game
Leading rebounder: Kevin Roberts: 6.0 rebounds per game
Leading assists guy: Tony Darden, 2.4 assists per game
