Big West Conference 2007-08 Preview
by Phil Kasiecki

For several years, the Big West was ruled by Pacific, as Bob Thomason’s team was consistently at or near the top of the conference standings. Even in years after they lost key starters, they had other players who were ready to step up and did just that. [...]

Big West Conference Tournament Recaps
by Phil Kasiecki

For the fifth consecutive year, the Big West Tournament was held at the Anaheim Convention Center right near Disneyland. With the location right near Disneyland, the conference holds a Fan Fest over the duration of the tournament, featuring events at the ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney and [...]

Big West Conference Preview
by Josh Diggs

The Big West Conference is by no means as good as the SEC, ACC or Pac-10 conferences, but they are getting better. Utah State hovered around the nation’s top 25 polls for several weeks and Pacific made a splash last March by crashing the NCAA Tournament with a Cinderalla-like [...]

Big West Conference 2003-04 Season Recap
by Matthew Lefebvre

After a summer which brought NCAA investigation and a significant tournament change to the Big West, the conference proved it should not be overlooked as they sent two teams to post-season tournaments. Utah State (NCAA) and Pacific (NIT) finished the 2003-04 campaign with an identical 17-1 record [...]

Big West Conference Second Round Recap

Recap by Marcus Vanderberg

Cal State Northridge 61, UC Santa Barbara 58
Only in the wacky Big West Conference where a player trips over the opposition on an inbound play which ends up costing a team a victory.

UC Santa Barbara senior Jacoby Atako tripped over Cal State [...]

Big West Conference Semifianls Preview

Preview by Marcus Vanderberg

No. 1 Utah State vs. No 6. Cal State Northridge
It’s Davis vs. Goliath.

No. 1 seed Utah State will take on No. 6 Cal State Northridge Friday night in the semifinals of the Big West Tournament.

The Matadors continued the Cinderella [...]

Big West Conference First Round Preview

Preview by Marcus Vanderberg

No. 5 UC Riverside vs. No. 8 Cal Poly
Yes, that says No. 8 Cal Poly. In a shocking turn of events, the Mustangs snuck into the Big West Tournament and sent UC Irvine packing.

The Highlanders qualified for post-season play with a 72-71 overtime [...]

Big West Conference First Round Recap

Recap by Marcus Vanderberg

UC Riverside 72, Cal Poly 63
Four Highlanders scored in double figures led by forward Nate Carter as UC Riverside defeated Cal Poly 72-63 in the opening game of the Big West Tournament.

In a turnover plagued game where the two teams combined [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Marcus Vanderberg

Pacific and Utah State neck and neck to the end

As the Big West Conference tournament quickly approaches, Utah State and the University of the Pacific continue to fight for the top spot in the conference. The Aggies have a half-game advantage over the Tigers at [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Marcus Vanderberg

12 wins and slowly creeping towards the Top 25

Utah State is proving to the Big West that they are head and shoulders above the rest of the teams in the conference. The Aggies are on a remarkable winning streak which is currently at [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Marcus Vanderberg

Missing… the real Long Beach State 49ers

Ok, where are the hidden cameras?

When did Candid Camera cross over to college basketball?

Someone obviously played a prank on UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly this past weekend. The Gauchos, up by 21 [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Marcus Vanderberg

Where you at, Pac 10?

I’m calling out Hoopville Pac-10 writer Scott Allen.

My conference is better than yours.

First, it was Cal Poly, traveling to Haas Pavilion and knocking off California.
[...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Marcus Vanderberg

It’s his prerogative

Bobby Brown has arrived and I’m not talking about the singer who is on the run from the police.

Brown, a freshman guard from Westchester High School (CA) is making his mark for Cal State Fullerton. After a rough two games, Brown has exploded in his [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Marcus Vanderberg

Big West team finally comes through

Finally, after a week filled with near-upsets, leave it to Cal State Fullerton to actually pull one off.

The Titans went into Firestone Fieldhouse and knocked off the Pepperdine Waves 78-74.

Earlier in the week, Cal State Northridge, UC Riverside, and [...]

Big West Conference Preview
by Marcus Vanderberg

Tragedy, an NCAA investigation, grand theft auto and a change in the conference tournament: Just your average summer in the Big West conference.

If Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell wanted to get his conference more publicity, he was successful. Unfortunately, most of the PR was negative.

The most significant news is [...]

Big West Offseason News Update
by Dean Austin

You know, when one of the biggest pieces of news during the off season is one school putting in a new scoreboard, it might be time for a little more excitement in your conference. Certainly no conference wishes to go through the trials and tribulations of the Big [...]

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 [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

Utah State Advances – As Predicted

For once I was right. In last week’s column I said Utah State would win the conference
title as the third seed, and indeed they did. Everything I predicted would happen did
happen to a “T,” with the exception of one thing: [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

All as Planned in Final Week

During the last week of the regular season, few upsets took place which means whatever seeding teams entered the week with, chances are they left with it.

UC Santa Barbara (14-4) won both their games last week to solidify their number-one [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine Neck-and-Neck

The top seed for the conference tournament has been up for grabs nearly all
season, so it comes as no surprise that with just one week left in the
regular season, we have a new first place team: UC Santa Barbara (12-4).
The Gauchos were in second [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

Irvine Takes Advantage of Other’s Pitfalls

Just weeks ago, UC Irvine (11-4) was in a rut, placed fourth in the
conference and its outlook wasn’t looking too positive. This columnist even
said that their winning ways were of the past. What do I know? The Anteaters
have moved beyond [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine Shine in Crucial Week

During a week when all four of the top teams played one another, it was UC
Santa Barbara (10-3) and UC Irvine (9-4) that shined the brightest.

The biggest game of the week came in Logan, Utah as Utah State [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

Down the Stretch They Go

Just weeks ago we were able to guess that Utah State, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine and Pacific were the frontrunners for the conference crown. Now, we can nearly be certain of it. The next closest team [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

The Rise of Pacific, the Fall of Irvine

Anything is possible in the wild, wild west. Examples: Pacific (6-3)
has found itself tied for second in the conference with Santa Barbara
(6-3), while Irvine (5-4) has lost three games in a row, tying them with
Cal Poly SLO [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

Three-Headed Monster Leads the Way

Just a few weeks into the conference season, it’s becoming apparent that
the same three teams that vied for the conference title last season may
do so again this season.

Utah State (6-2), UC Irvine (5-2), UC Santa Barbara (5-2) and even
Pacific (4-3) have clearly shown that [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

Hood Dons the Cape in UCI’s Thriller over Utah State

Jerry Green did it to them last year in Logan and guard Mike Hood did it to them this year
in Irvine.

With just 10 seconds left from the game being sent into a second overtime, Hood rescued UC
Irvine as [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

Pacific, Utah State, Fullerton Separate From the Pack

The good, the bad and the ugly are starting to detach themselves, now. It
took a few games, but it’s become clear. Pacific (3-0) remains the only
undefeated team in the conference with Utah State (3-1) and up-start Cal
State Fullerton (3-1), who may [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

New Year, New Season
As the new year began, so did a new season: the conference season. This is
where the gloves are dropped and the teams with the smallest amount of blood
on their jersey in the end are crowned kings. The trouble is figuring out
who’s a king, who’s a joker?
[...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

Douglass Does it Again for UC Irvine

In a classic example of why many consider UC Irvine head coach Pat Douglass
the best coach in the conference, Douglass has recently gone to a new lineup
that’s working well. The lineup features first team all-conference hopeful
center Adam Parada [...]

Big West Conference Notebook
by Shaan Hassan

Gauchos Run Into Glass Ceiling

The glass slipper has broken. It’s turned midnight. Last year, the UC
Santa Barbara Gauchos capped off a Cinderella season by winning the Big
West Conference tournament and earning the automatic bid to the NCAA
tournament. It prompted nearly everyone, except their challengers, to
say with a smile, “Wow, [...]