What 2 Watch 4
After one month of non-conference action to start the season, Big West play begins with Bold Week, featuring five games each day on Thursday, Dec. 4 and Saturday, Dec. 6.
The Big West decided to tip-off conference action with Bold Week in the first week of December to provide access to games before the holiday season. The schedule improves both the fan and student-athlete experience, while adding early season intrigue and ensuring conference weeks feature a consistent Thursday/Saturday schedule format.
Thursday’s schedule is highlighted by a clash of two of the top teams in the conference as UC Davis (5-2) visits Hawai‘i (6-2). The other four matchups on that day are Long Beach State (2-6) at UC Santa Barbara (6-2), UC Riverside (4-4) at UC Irvine (5-4), Cal Poly (4-5) at Cal State Fullerton (3-5) and Cal State Bakersfield (4-4) at CSUN (3-4).
Saturday’s slate will have UC Riverside at Cal Poly, UC San Diego (7-1) at Long Beach State, Cal State Bakersfield at UC Santa Barbara, CSUN at UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton at Hawai‘i.
All games on this week’s schedule will air on ESPN+. Check listings for specific game information.
Around the League
UC San Diego tops the conference with an impressive 7-1 record. During the Thanksgiving week, the Tritons won the Terry’s Chocolates ESPN Events Invitational - Adventure Bracket MTE defeating the likes of Temple (91-76), Bradley (87-77) and Towson (87-73), before suffering their first loss at Nevada. Forward Leo Beath leads the team with a conference-best 19.5 points, to go along with 4.5 rebounds per game. Guard Tom Beattie averages 13.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest.
Hawai‘i is 6-2, led by center Isaac Johnson who averages 15.9 points and a league second-best 7.9 rebounds per game. The senior has three double-doubles in eight games this season.
UC Santa Barbara is 6-2, coming off winning the Resorts World Las Vegas Classic MTE during Thanksgiving week downing Lehigh (72-70) and Seattle U (74-71). Five Gauchos average double figures with guard Miro Little (13.0 PPG), forward Colin Smith (12.9 PPG) and guard Aidan Mahaney (12.5 PPG) leading the way.
UC Davis is 5-2, highlighted by a big road win at Nevada in mid-November. Guard Nils Cooper logs 17.7 points per game on a conference-best 70.4 percent from the field. Guard Connor Sevilla averages 14.1 points and 2.7 3-point makes per outing.
UC Irvine is 5-4 with guards Jurian Dixon and Derin Saran averaging 15.9 and 15.0 points per contest, respectively. Forward Kyle Evans is the league’s blocks leader at 3.0 rejections per game.
Cal State Bakersfield is 4-4. Guard Dailin Smith is averaging 17.4 points per game, which includes two 30-point outings against Portland State and Fresno State.
UC Riverside is 4-4. Guard Andrew Henderson averages 17.4 points per game, while making a league second-best 2.9 3-pointers per outing. Guard Marqui Worthy Jr., and forward Osiris Grady pitch in 13.9 and 13.6 points per contest, respectively.
Cal Poly is one game under .500 at 4-5. Guard/forward Hamad Mousa logs a league second-best 18.4 points with 5.4 rebounds per contest. Forward Peter Bandelj and guard Cayden Ward pitch in 15.5 and 14.9 points per game, respectively.
CSUN is one game under .500 at 3-4. Guard Larry Hughes II records 16.3 points per outing, making a conference-leading 3.3 3-pointers per game. Guard Joshua O’Garro leads the league in rebounds averaging 9.9 boards per contest and guard Josiah Davis tops the conference in assists at 5.3 dimes per game.
The Big West in the Rankings
The Big West has two teams featured in the latest edition of the College Insider Men’s Basketball Mid-Major Top 25 poll. UC San Diego is ranked No. 20, followed by UC Santa Barbara at No. 24.
Hawai’i, UC Irvine, UC Davis and Cal Poly are receiving votes in the poll.
2024-25 Recap
The 2024-25 Big West men’s basketball season showcased unprecedented success and growth, solidifying the conference as a rising force on the national stage.
The Big West was home to two 30-win teams, UC San Diego and UC Irvine, marking an unprecedented feat in conference history. Nationally, only the SEC also had two programs reach the 30-win mark this season. The conference closed the year ranked a collective 12th in the NET, its highest standing since 2000, and cracked the Top 10 in NET rankings during the season. The Big West also ranked 12th in KenPom—a significant leap from 24th in 2019-20 in both listings to highlight the growing competitive depth across the membership.
Five Big West teams finished in the NET top 150: UC San Diego (#35), UC Irvine (#62), CSUN (#104), UC Santa Barbara (#140), and UC Riverside (#142) all finished in the top 150, the most in Big West history.
The Big West had the most NIT appearances in its history with three teams – UC Irvine, CSUN, and UC Riverside – earning postseason bids. UC Irvine reached the NIT championship game, falling by just one point, and serving as the league’s first postseason tournament finalist since Fresno State won the event back in 1983.
Hoops in Henderson
Last week, The Big West announced an enhanced agreement with Credit Union 1, the Official Credit Union, Bank and Financial Services Partner of The Big West, to become the title partner of the 2026 Big West Basketball Championships, March 11-14, 2026, at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nev. All-Session tickets are available now! Learn more >>>
Preseason Prognostications
The UC Irvine men’s basketball team is predicted to win The Big West, according to a poll of the league’s 11 head coaches before the start of the season. The coaches also voted for a six-member Big West Preseason Team.
The Anteaters garnered eight of the 11 first-place votes for a total of 98 points. Last season, UC Irvine went 32-7 overall and finished second in The Big West regular season standings with a 17-3 conference record. The Anteaters qualified for the NIT and won four games in the national tournament before falling in the title match to Chattanooga in overtime.
UC Irvine is expected to be led by two Preseason Team selections in redshirt sophomore guard Jurian Dixon and graduate guard Andre Henry. Dixon is the reigning Big West Freshman of the Year after averaging 8.8 points per game as a rookie, including career-high 23-point performance at UC Santa Barbara. Henry played in nine games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. In 2023-24, Henry was The Big West Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Big West Honorable Mention, starting in all 34 games, averaging 10.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
UC Santa Barbara is predicted to finish second, receiving the remaining three first-place votes for a total of 93 points. Last year, the Gauchos went 21-13 overall and 11-9 in conference play. Newcomer Aidan Mahaney along with third-year guard Jason Fontenet II were selected to the preseason team.
Mahaney is a transfer from UConn and averaged 4.6 points and 1.3 assists per game. Before UConn, the senior was a standout at Saint Mary’s for two seasons with a list of accolades including Lou Henson All-American, NABC First Team All-District, First Team All-WCC, WCC All-Tournament Team, WCC All-Freshman Team. Fontenet II started all 34 games and averaged 9.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals for the Gauchos last season.
Hawai‘i was third with 76 points. Last season, the Rainbow Warriors went 15-16 overall and did not qualify for The Big West Championship with a 7-13 league record. Gytis Nemeiksa represents Hawai‘i on the preseason team. Nemeiksa logged 12.3 points, on 48.8 percent shooting from the floor, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.
Defending Big West champion UC San Diego is predicted to finish fourth with 69 points. The Tritons went 30-5 overall and 18-2 in conference play in 2024-25. CSUN rounds out the top-five with 63 points and Matador senior forward Mahmoud Fofana fills the final spot on the preseason team. In 2024-25, Fofana played in 33 games with 32 starts, averaging 8.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.2 steals per contest.
UC Davis (58), Cal Poly (54), Long Beach State (31), UC Riverside (26), Cal State Bakersfield (20) and Cal State Fullerton (17) conclude the rest of the poll.
See the complete poll and read more about the team here >>>
Watch Us Work
Building on one of the most successful men’s and women’s seasons since the 1990’s, The Big West has announced that more than 350 men’s and women’s basketball games will be available nationally on the ESPN family of networks and Spectrum SportsNet during 2025-26 season. All Big West men’s and women’s basketball home games and all seven games of the Credit Union I 2026 Big West Women’s Basketball Championship will stream nationally on ESPN+. Additionally, The Big West will continue its regional partnership with Spectrum SportsNet for the fifth consecutive season. Five women’s contests are part of the 14-game Spectrum SportsNet package with Long Beach State, UC San Diego, Hawai’i, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly each slated to appear. Learn more >>> |
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