No. 1 Hawai'i - 3 p.m. PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Laura Beeman (11th Season)
- 2021-22 Record: 20-10, 13-3 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: Winners of Big West Regular-Season and Championship (QF: def. No. 9 CSU Bakersfield, 48-47; SF: def. No. 4 UC Riverside, 69-55; F: def. No. 2 UC Irvine, 59-47); Round of 64 of NCAA Tournament (lost at No. 2 seed Baylor, 89-49)
- Returners: 11 (4 starters)
- Players Lost: 3
- Newcomers: 5
The Rainbow Wahine are aiming to do something they’ve never done before in program history and win The Big West in back-to-back seasons. Reigning Big West Coach of the Year Laura Beeman will have to find a replacement for the 2021-22 Player of the Year Amy Atwell, but the Rainbow Wahine return a solid core of four starters. Sophomore guard Daejah Phillips (10.0 ppg, 5.07 rpg, 2.70 apg) is joined by point guard Kelsi Imai, forward/center Kallin Spiller and guard Olivia Davies, and Hawai’i reloaded its roster with three true freshmen and a pair of transfers. Joining Meg Jefferson (Virginia) is a familiar face to The Big West in 2021-22 Freshman of the Year for Cal State Fullerton Lily Wahinekapu (14.7 ppg, 3.7 apg).
|
No. 2 UC Santa Barbara - 2:30 p.m. PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Bonnie Henrickson (8th Season)
- 2021-22 Record: 15-12, 9-8 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: Quarterfinals of The Big West Championship (lost to No. 4 UC Riverside, 46-42)
- Returners: 10 (2 starters)
- Players Lost: 5
- Newcomers: 4
UC Santa Barbara takes the court with its strong senior class for what will likely be the last season for Ila Lane, Taylor Mole, Alexis Tucker, and Tatyana Modawar. Lane (12.12 ppg, .580 fg% 9.65 rpg) led The Big West in shooting percentage and rebounding last season, and Tucker (11.04 ppg, 4.1 rpg) are expected to be a key to the season. Despite losing a huge presence in point guard Danae Miller (12.54 ppg, 3.04 apg) who graduated in June, the Gauchos’ style is not expected to change. The foundation for UC Santa Barbara is still expected to be their defense, who held teams to a Big West-best 57.11 points per game in 2021-22.
|
No. 3 Long Beach State - 2 p.m. PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Jeff Cammon (6th Season)
- 2021-22 Record: 19-9, 12-6 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: Quarterfinals of The Big West Championship (lost to No. 6 UC Davis, 45-55); First Round of the WNIT (lost at Oregon State, 59-70)
- Returners: 6 (1 starter)
- Players Lost: 8
- Newcomers: 10
Long Beach State is planning to bring an up tempo and exciting brand of basketball to the Big West in 2022-23. Key returners to the court include the upperclassmen trio of Kianna Hamilton-Fisher (7.5 ppg, .373 fg%, 2.7 rpg, 1.75 spg), Ma’Qhi Berry (7.7 ppg, .448 fg%, 2.57 apg) and Kristyna Jeskeova (2.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg). The Beach will see four Division I transfers on the roster: Tori Harris (St. Bonaventure), Courtney Murphy (Seattle), Malia Bambrick (Pepperdine) and Sydney Woodley (CSUN). Their high-intensity defense and free-flowing offense is expected to be a highlight this season.
|
No. 4 UC San Diego - 1:30 p.m. PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Heidi VanDerveer (11th Season)
- 2021-22 Record: 13-14, 10-8 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: ineligible
- Returners: 9 (4 starters)
- Players Lost: 4
- Newcomers: 5
Still ineligible to compete in the NCAA and Big West postseason field while reclassifying to Division I, the Tritons will look to make the most of their regular-season opportunities. UC San Diego will be an experienced team that returns four seniors from a season ago who all opted for a fifth season—all starters. Two key returners for the Tritons include graduate student Sydney Brown (12.0 ppg, 7.89 rpg, 1.8 apg) and redshirt senior Julia Macabuhay (8.1 ppg, 2.1 apg). The squad also adds a talented Division II transfer in Denali Pinto who had a record-breaking career at Colorado School of Mines, as well as four talented freshmen who are expected to make significant contributions.
|
No. 5 UC Davis - 1 p.m. PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Jennifer Gross (12th Season)
- 2021-22 Record: 15-13, 8-8 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: Semifinals of The Big West Championship (QF: def. No. 3 Long Beach State 55-45; SF: lost no No. 2 UC Irvine, 75-84 (OT))
- Returners: 9 (2 starters)
- Players Lost: 3
- Newcomers: 4
The Aggies lost their best player from the last two seasons in 2021 Big West Player of the Year Cierra Hall. The core of the 2022-23 UC Davis team will be led by junior Evanne Turner (12.64 ppg, .402 fg%, 2.51 3fgm) and 2022 Big West All-Freshman Team selection Sydney Burns (5.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg). The Aggies add incoming transfers from the East Coast in Tova Sabel (Penn State) and Tess Sussman (Harvard) as the 2019 and 2021 Big West Champions and No. 1 seed in in five of the last six conference postseason events eye a return to the top of the table.
|
No. 6 UC Irvine - 12:30 p.m. PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Tamara Inoue (7th season)
- 2021-22 Record: 21-12, 14-4 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: Finals of The Big West Championship (QF: def. No. 7 Cal State Fullerton, 80-68; def. No. 6 UC Davis, 84-75 (OT); F: lost to No. 1 Hawai’i, 48-59); First Round of the WNIT (lost at UCLA, 48-61)
- Returners: 8 (2 starters)
- Players Lost: 6
- Newcomers: 4
UC Irvine’s talent and potential are still in place to continue the program’s recent success, but the squad will have to replace the key losses of Kayla Williams (15.5 ppg, 4.2 apg, 2.3 spg), Chloe Webb (10.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.7 spg) and Sophia Locandro (7.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.0 bpg) to get back to the national postseason picture. Naomi Hunt (7.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg) returns for her sixth year and the trio of Hunter Hernandez, Olivia Williams and Nikki Tom will look increase their already solid production in their sophomore campaign. The Anteaters will have a fairly new look with four transfers, including Diaba Konata (Idaho State) and Naveah Dean (Cincinnati), to continue to up-tempo style of play seen in Coach Tamara Inoue’s teams.
|
No. 7 UC Riverside - Noon PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Nicole Powell (3rd season)
- 2021-22 Record: 14-11, 10-6 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: Semifinals of The Big West Championship (QF: def. No. 5 UC Santa Barbara, 46-42; SF: lost to No. 1 Hawai’i, 55-69)
- Returners: 7 (2 starters)
- Players Lost: 5
- Newcomers: 8
UC Riverside will be replacing two key pieces of last year’s offense in Keilanei Cooper (12.76 ppg, .385 fg%) and Jada Holland (11.70 ppg, 4.13 apg), but the Highlanders return two of the team’s top three defensive rebounders from last season in Mele Finau (3.6 def reb) and Jordan Webster. UC Riverside welcomes four true freshmen to the squad in 2022-23, three of whom will add depth to an already guard-heavy roster. The Highlanders roster will also be bolstered by their fifth Division I transfer in Paris Atchley from Idaho.
|
No. 8 CSUN - 11:30 a.m. PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Carlene Mitchell (2nd Season)
- 2021-22 Record: 9-19, 5-12 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: First Round of The Big West Championship (lost to No. 9 CSU Bakersfield, 62-63)
- Returners: 10 (4 starters)
- Players Lost: 3
- Newcomers: 4
Head coach Carlene Mitchell had the interim tag removed shortly after the conclusion of the 2021-22 season. The Matadors should continue to play tough defense and with three recruits of 6-1 or taller, the team should be a bit more physical in the paint. CSUN returns second-team All-Big West performer Tess Amundson (14.1 ppg, .491 3fg%, 4.8 rpg) who will be joined by sister Lainey (Fresno City College) this season. Also taking the court for the Matadors is returning guard Jordyn Jackson (11.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 69 ast) and transfers De’Jah Williams (Iona/Albana), Cheyenne Givens (Pepperdine), and Ana Carolina De Jesus (Eastern Florida State).
|
No. 9 Cal State Fullerton - 11 a.m. PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Jeff Harada (6th season)
- 2021-22 Record: 11-18, 5-12 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: Quarterfinals of The Big West Championship (First Round: def. No. 10 Cal Poly, 70-64; QF: lost to No. 2 UC Irvine, 68-80)
- Returners: 9 (3 starters)
- Players Lost: 6
- Newcomers: 5
The loss of Big West Freshman of the Year Lily Wahinekapu (14.7 ppg, 3.7 apg) leaves big shoes to fill as the Cal State Fullerton offense ran through the point guard's hands. However, the Titans are getting back point guard Anniken Frey after missing all of last season, and the he addition of Utah State transfer Shyla Latone (10.8 ppg) is expected to be a big boost. The team also returns upperclassmen Fujika Nimmo (10.1 ppg) and Ashlee Lewis (9.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg) to the court.
|
No. 10 Cal Poly - 10:30 a.m. PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Shanele Stires (1st Season)
- 2021-22 Record: 3-22, 1-13 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: First Round of The Big West Championship (lost to No. 7 Cal State Fullerton, 64-70)
- Returners: 12 (2 starters)
- Players Lost: 4
- Newcomers: 7
The Cal Poly Mustangs will see a new head coach at the helm for the first time in 25 years, as Shanele Stires takes the reigns from retired head coach Faith Mimnaugh. Two key returners to keep an eye on are the senior tandem of Maddie Vick (10.1 ppg, 3.7 apg, 26 stl) and Maddie Willett (8.9 ppg, 35 3fgm, .310 3fg%), with two D1 transfers in Oumou Toure (Butler) and Taylor Wu (Cal Baptist) joining the fold. Cal Poly will see Several new pieces on and off the court with a new style of play, culture and attitude that will be defensive-minded and chock full of energy.
|
 No. 11 CSU Bakersfield - 10 a.m. PT
ESPN+ segment | schedule | roster
- Head Coach: Greg McCall (11th Season)
- 2021-22 Record: 5-20, 3-11 Big West
- 2021-22 Postseason: Quarterfinals of The Big West Championship (First Round: def. No. 8 CSUN 63-62; QF: lost to No. 1 Hawai’i, 47-48)
- Returners: 5 (2 starters)
- Players Lost: 6
- Newcomers: 9
Youth will be heavily present in the 2022-23 Roadrunners, after losing six players from the 2021-22 team that earned an opening round victory in The Big West Championship and pushed the eventual champions to the brink in the quarterfinal round. CSU Bakersfield is expecting to continue with an up-tempo style on offense with a focus on defensive pressure. The team will be without the services of Jayden Eggleston (15.96 ppg, .413 fg%, 6.36 rpg), but the Roadrunners look to a pair of transfer guards in Grace Hunter (Florida International) and Shaunae Brown (Canisius) to help fill the scoring gap.
|