What 2 Watch 4
Three weeks remain in the 2025-26 Big West regular season schedule, Hawai‘i (18-6, 10-4 BW) and UC Irvine (17-9, 10-4 BW) are tied for first place in the standings. Half a game behind is UC Santa Barbara (17-9, 10-5 BW), followed by CSUN (16-10, 9-5 BW) in fourth and UC Davis (16-10, 9-6 BW) in fifth.
Thursday’s matchups is highlighted by the Matadors, winners of five straight, at the third-place Gauchos as only a half game separates the two teams. The rest of the mid-week matchups are UC Davis at Cal State Fullerton (13-14, 8-7 BW), UC Irvine at Long Beach State (8-18, 4-10 BW), Cal State Bakersfield (8-18, 2-12 BW) at UC Riverside (8-19, 3-12 BW) and Cal Poly (11-16, 7-8 BW) at Hawai‘i).
A nationally televised game on ESPNU illuminates Saturday’s games as UC Santa Barbara goes to Hawai‘i for a battle of two teams that come into the week with 10 league wins apiece. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT with Kanoa Leahey (play-by-play) and Jerrod Haase (color) on the call.
Also on Saturday is a rematch of last year’s Big West Championship final will be locally televised on Spectrum SportsNet as UC Irvine hosts UC San Diego (18-9, 8-7 BW).
The rest of the weekend slate is filled out by the matchups of UC Davis at UC Riverside, CSUN at Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton at Cal State Bakersfield.
All games on the schedule this week will air on the ESPN+. Check listings for specific game information.
Around the League
Hawai‘i is 18-6 overall with an 10-4 league mark, tied for first in the standings. The Rainbow Warriors top the league in scoring defense (67.8 Opp PPG) and 3-point shooting defense (.278), which ranks fifth in NCAA. Hawai‘i is also the league leader in free throws made (18.4 FTM/G), scoring margin (+12.0) and rebound margin (+6.9). Center Isaac Johnson, guard Dre Bullock and forward Harry Rouhliadeff average 13.4, 12.6 and 11.0 points per contest, respectively.
UC Irvine is 17-9 overall and in a tie for first place with a 10-4 league record. The Anteaters lead the league in blocks (6.0 BPG), field goal percentage defense (.378) and defensive rebounds (28.9 DRPG), which nationally rank fifth, third and ninth, respectively. They are also second in the league in rebounds (40.6 RPG) and scoring defense (68.0 Opp PPG). Forward Kyle Evans leads the conference and nation blocks per game (3.4). Evans is also the league runner-up in field goal percentage (.629) and rebounds per outing (8.5). Guard Jurian Dixon is seventh in the league in scoring (15.5 PPG).
UC Santa Barbara is third in the league with a 10-5 conference mark, 17-9 overall. As a team, UCSB leads the league in field goal percentage (.481) and 3-point percentage (.384), and second in free throw percentage (.758). Five Gauchos average double figures with guard Aidan Mahaney (15.0 PPG) leading the way.
CSUN is fourth in the standings with a 9-5 conference mark, 16-10 overall. The Matadors top the league in assists (17.5 APG), rebounds (41.5 RPG) and offensive rebounds (13.0 ORPG). Guard Larry Hughes II records a league second-best 19.0 points per outing. Hughes tops the league with 3.5 3-pointers per game on .437 shooting from distance. Guard Joshua O’Garro leads the league in rebounds averaging 9.6 boards per contest and guard Josiah Davis tops the conference in assists at 7.2 dimes per game. Davis is fifth in the nation in assists. Forward Mahmoud Fofana has the best field goal percentage in the league at .657.
UC Davis is fifth in the conference standings with a 9-6 league record, 16-10 overall. As a team, the Aggies are second in the conference in steals (8.1 SPG), 3-point percentage (.360), turnover margin (+2.0) and turnovers forced (15.0 Opp TO/G). Guard Connor Sevilla logs 13.4 points per game on a .424 percent shooting from behind the arc, the second-best in the conference. Guard Brayden Fagbemi is the league leader in steals (2.0 SPG) and third in assists (4.3 APG).
UC San Diego’s offense produces the least turnovers per contest (11.6) in the league. Guard Tom Beattie has the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the league at 2.3. Guard Emmanuel Prospere II gets 1.9 steals per outing, the third-most in the conference. Forward Leo Beath leads the team in scoring at 13.1 points per game.
Cal State Fullerton leads the league in scoring offense (83.2 PPG), assist/turnover ratio (1.36), bench points (34.1 bench PPG), fastbreak points (17.4 FB PPG), steals (8.4 SPG) and turnovers forced (15.4 Opp TO/G). Guards Joshua Ward and Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro average 14.3 and 12.8 points per outing. Forward Landon Seaman produces 12.3 points per contest off the bench. Guard Christian Williams is second in the league in steals with 1.9 per game.
Cal Poly makes the most 3-pointers in the league at 11.0 per game, good for 12th in the nation. The Mustangs also have the top free throw percentage at .775. Guard/forward Hamad Mousa logs a league-best 20.0 points per contest. Forward Peter Bandelj and guard Cayden Ward pitch in 14.0 and 13.9 points per game, respectively.
Long Beach State guard Gavin Sykes averages a league third-best 17.9 points per contest and forward Petar Majstorovic puts away 15.3 points per outing.
UC Riverside guards Marqui Worthy Jr. (34.8 MPG) and Andrew Henderson (33.5 MPG) are first and second in minutes played in the league. Henderson and Worthy Jr. log 17.4 and 15.7 points per outing, the fourth and sixth most in the conference.
Cal State Bakersfield is second in the league, 16th in the nation, in blocked shots (5.2 BPG). The Roadrunners are also second in free throw made (18.0 FTM/G) and offensive rebounds (12.0 ORPG). Guard Dailin Smith average 16.0 points per contest, which ranks fifth in the league. Forward Ronald Jessamy averages 1.8 blocks per game which ranks second in the conference.
The Big West in the Rankings
The Big West has four teams featured in the latest edition of the College Insider Men’s Basketball Mid-Major Top 25 poll. Hawai‘i is ranked No. 13, followed by UC Irvine at No. 16. UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego are receiving votes in the poll.
Hoops in Henderson
In October, 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 >>>
Third & Fourth Wildcard Selection Revealed
Two more wildcard selections have been made by ESPN, with Hawai’i set to host UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. PT/5 p.m. HT on ESPNU as part of AC Carter Night at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Additionally, the Gauchos will head to UC Irvine on Saturday, Feb. 28 for a 7:30 p.m. PT tip from The Bren Events Center on ESPN2 as the top three teams in The Big West are showcased nationally in consecutive weekends to close out the month.
For more, click 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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