With the race for position in the Big West Tournament reaching the home stretch, this week's marquee matchup pits Central Coast rivals UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly against each other Saturday afternoon in San Luis Obispo.
The Valentine's Day matinee in Mott Gym pits the first place and league unbeaten Gauchos against the 7-3, third place Mustangs in a key late season showdown. Both teams come into the game playing stellar basketball with UCSB having won 11 of its last 12 contests and CP having won six in a row and posting an 8-3 record since the New Year.
UC Santa Barbara already owns a 55-45 win over Cal Poly back on January 17, but the Mustangs will be a tough side at home as they have posted a 9-3 record and have only lost to one conference foe in the friendly confines of Mott Gym.
The owners of the league’s longest win streak get a chance to extend that with a pair of home contests this week. The Highlanders of UC Riverside, winners of eight in a row overall and a perfect 7-for-7 in home games this year, host non-conference foe Cal State Bakersfield Wednesday and Cal State Northridge Saturday. While CSUB and UCR meet for the first time this season, the Highlanders already have a victory over the Matadors in hand. Back on January 14, UCR led by as many as 18 as it posted a 72-62 road win over CSUN.
The Roadrunners will be no pushover as they have posted a 6-1 record against Big West opponents this season. Meanwhile, the Matadors will look to shake off the rust of a week layoff as they play the Highlanders and Long Beach State on the road in successive fashion. Cal State Northridge has the most balanced remaining regular season schedule in the league with an even split of home and road games over its last eight contests. The Matadors will alternate home and away weeks over the last month of the season.
NorCal travel partners UC Davis and Pacific head south this week for their usual Orange County swing as the Aggies and Tigers face Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine. UCD/UCI and UOP/CSF is scheduled for Thursday, and the Northern California schools will switch opponents for Saturday’s action.
The Aggies and Tigers have been headed in opposite directions of late as UC Davis has lost five in a row, while Pacific has won four of its last six outings.