The UC Irvine men’s basketball team is predicted to win The Big West, according to a preseason poll for the league’s 11 head coaches, announced on The Field of 68 Preview Show. The Anteaters garnered eight of 11 first-place votes.

With the eight first-place votes UC Irvine totaled 92 points. Last season, the Anteaters went 24-10 overall, won the regular season title with a 17-3 conference record and qualified for the NIT. UC Irvine is expected to be led by preseason All-Big West selection Justin Hohn. The graduate guard averaged a team-high 12.4 points to go along with 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists en route to an All-Big West Second Team placement. The Anteaters return three other starters in graduate guard Andre Henry (10.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg), redshirt senior forward Devin Tillis (9.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and senior center Bent Leuchten (9.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg).

UC Santa Barbara came in second in the poll, receiving two first-place votes for 85 points. The Gauchos went 16-15 overall and 9-11 in conference play last year. UCSB hit the portal and newcomer Stephan Swenson was selected to the preseason team. The graduate transfer was a four-year starter at Stetson and logged 13.9 points and 5.8 assists per game as a senior, leading the Hatters to the program’s first ASUN Championship and NCAA Tournament berth. Swenson picked up All-ASUN Second Team and ASUN All-Tournament honors along the way. UC Santa Barbara also returns starting guard Cole Anderson who averaged 10.3 points, shooting 41.1 percent (76-of-185) on 3-pointers, last season.

UC San Diego was third with 77 points. In 2023-24, the Tritons had their most successful season in their Division I era, going 21-12 overall and runner-up in the league with a 15-5 mark. UC San Diego has now completed its transition to Division I and will be Big West and NCAA postseason eligible this season. The Tritons were represented on the preseason team with guard-forward Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones. The senior is the reigning Big West Newcomer of the Year and Honorable Mention All-Big West after recording 13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game last season. Also coming back for UCSD are reigning Big West Best Sixth Player Tyler McGhie (13.9 ppg, .414 3p%) and senior guard Hayden Gray (9.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg).

The lone remaining first-place vote went to UC Riverside for a tally of 75 points. The Highlanders went 16-18 overall and 10-10 in league play last year. UC Riverside had one selection on the preseason team in sophomore Barrington Hargress, last season’s Big West Freshman of the Year. The Highlander guard averaged 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists to earn a spot on the All-Big West Honorable Mention list. UC Riverside also brings back All-Big West Honorable Mention redshirt junior guard Isaiah Moses (12.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.8 apg) and starter Nate Pickens (9.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.0 apg).

UC Davis was fifth with 67 points. Last year, the Aggies went 20-13 overall, finished third in league play with a 14-6 mark and came up one win away from claiming The Big West Championship. UC Davis is expected to be led by TY Johnson, a two-time All-Big West honoree and a member of last year’s Big West All-Tournament Team. The senior guard logged 17.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and a conference-leading 1.8 steals per game in 2023-24. The Aggies return one other starter besides Johnson in senior forward Niko Rocak (5.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 bpg).

CSUN with 57 points rounds out the top six. Head coach Andy Newman led the Matadors’ rebuild last season, taking a 7-25 team the previous year to a 19-15 (+12 wins) overall record, 9-11 in Big West play. Senior forward Keonte Jones is back for CSUN after averaging 11.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.6 steals per contest.

Hawai‘i (46), reigning Big West Championship winner Long Beach State (39), Cal State Bakersfield (28), Cal State Fullerton (22) and Cal Poly (11) conclude the rest of the poll.

The 2024-25 season begins with seven teams in action on Monday, Nov. 4. In a new scheduling strategy this season, The Big West is moving to an 11-week league slate with the addition of Bold Week from December 5-7, 2024, and then resuming conference play on Thursday, Jan. 2. The 2025 Hercules Tires Big West Men’s Basketball Championship presented by Credit Union 1, returns for the fourth-straight year inside Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nev., March 12-15.