What 2 Watch 4
The Big West regular-season title and postseason seeds are on the line in the final week of conference play!
Heading into the week, Hawai‘i (21-7, 13-5 BW) and UC Irvine (20-10, 13-5 BW) are tied for first with identical conference records with two games remaining. There’s a two-way tie for third with UC San Diego (21-9, 11-7 BW) and CSUN (18-12, 11-7 BW). UC Santa Barbara (18-12, 11-8) is a half-game behind the Tritons and Matadors with a bye on Thursday.
UC Davis (17-12, 10-8 BW) and Cal State Fullerton (15-15, 10-8 BW) currently share the sixth spot but have a chance to jump to third, being only separated by one game.
Thursday’s schedule is highlighted by possible previews of matchups at the 2026 Credit Union 1 Big West Championship with Cal Poly (13-17, 9-9 BW) at UC Irvine and UC San Diego at Cal State Fullerton.
The other games on the mid-week slate are CSUN at Cal State Bakersfield (8-22, 2-16 BW), UC Davis at Long Beach State (9-21, 5-13 BW) and UC Riverside (10-21, 5-14 BW).
A nationally televised game on ESPNU sticks out in Saturday’s bulk of games as UC Davis visits UC Irvine. Both teams have clinched berths to Henderson, but the Anteaters are hoping to claim their third regular-season crown in four years, while the Aggies look to get a top four seed in the championship for a first-round bye.
Two other games with seeding implications are Cal State Fullerton at CSUN and UC San Diego at UC Santa Barbara. The rest of the schedule on the final day of the regular season are Cal State Bakersfield at Cal Pol and Long Beach State at Hawai‘i.
All games on the schedule this week will air on the ESPN+. Check listings for specific game information.
Around the League
Hawai‘i is 21-7 overall with an 13-5 league mark, tied for first in the standings and have clinched a berth into the upcoming championship. The Rainbow Warriors top the league in 3-point shooting defense (.290), which ranks seventh in NCAA, scoring margin (+10.2) and rebound margin (+6.3). The Rainbow Warriors are second in scoring defense (69.5 Opp PPG) and free throws made (18.5 FTM/G). Center Isaac Johnson and guard Dre Bullock and each average 13.7 and 13.4 points per game, respectively.
UC Irvine is 20-10 overall, in a tie for first place with a 13-5 league record and have clinched a berth into the upcoming championship. The Anteaters lead the league in field goal percentage defense (.380), blocks (6.0 BPG) and defensive rebounds (28.5 DRPG), which nationally rank third, fourth and ninth, respectively. They also lead in scoring defense (67.5 Opp PPG) and second in rebounds (40.0 RPG). Forward Kyle Evans leads the conference and nation blocks per game (3.4). Evans is also the league runner-up in field goal percentage (.615) and rebounds per outing (8.6). Guard Jurian Dixon is eighth in the league in scoring (15.5 PPG).
UC San Diego is tied for third with an 11-7 conference record, 21-9 overall, and have clinched a berth into the upcoming championship. The Triton offense produces the least turnovers (11.3 TOPG) in the league and are second in assist/turnover ratio (1.32) and 3-point percentage defense (.325 Opp 3P%). Guard Tom Beattie has the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the league at 2.2. Guard Emmanuel Prospere II gets 1.8 steals per outing, the third most in the conference. Forward Leo Beath leads the team in scoring at 12.6 points per game.
CSUN is tied for third in the standings with an 11-7 conference mark, 18-12 overall,and have clinched a berth into the upcoming championship. The Matadors top the league in assists (17.0 APG), rebounds (41.6 RPG) and offensive rebounds (13.2 ORPG). Guard Larry Hughes II records a league fourth-best 17.7 points per outing. Hughes tops the league with 3.1 3-pointers per game on .410 shooting from distance. Guard Joshua O’Garro leads the league in rebounds averaging 9.3 boards per contest and guard Josiah Davis tops the conference in assists at 7.2 dimes per game. Davis is fourth in the nation in assists. Forward Mahmoud Fofana has the best field goal percentage in the league at .634.
UC Santa Barbara is in fifth place in the league standings with a 10-8 conference mark, 18-12 overall, and have clinched a berth into the upcoming championship. As a team, UCSB leads the league in field goal percentage (.471) and 3-point percentage (.380), and second in free throw percentage (.759). Five Gauchos average double figures with guard Aidan Mahaney (15.3 PPG) leading the way.
UC Davis is tied for sixth in the standings with a 10-8 league record, 17-12 overall, and have clinched a berth into the upcoming championship. As a team, the Aggies are second in steals (7.9 SPG), 3-point percentage (.356), turnover margin (+2.0) and turnovers forced (14.8 Opp TO/G). Guard Connor Sevilla logs 13.6 points per game on a .413 percent shooting from behind the arc, the second best in the conference. Guard Brayden Fagbemi tops the league in steals (2.0 SPG) and second in assists (4.3 APG).
Cal State Fullerton is tied for sixth in the standings with a 10-8 league mark and have clinched a berth into the upcoming championship. The Titans lead the conference in scoring offense (83.7 PPG), assist/turnover ratio (1.41), bench points (34.7 bench PPG), fastbreak points (17.7 FB PPG), steals (8.0 SPG), turnover margin (+3.3) and turnovers forced (14.8 Opp TO/G). Guards Joshua Ward and Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro average 14.7 and 12.4 points per outing. Forward Landon Seaman produces 12.1 points per contest off the bench. Guard Christian Williams is second in the league in steals with 1.8 per game.
Cal Poly has clinched a berth into the upcoming championship. The Mustangs make the most 3-pointers in the league at 11.0 per game, good for 11th in the nation. The Mustangs also have the top free throw percentage at .785. Guard/forward Hamad Mousa logs a league-best 20.4 points per contest. Guard Cayden Ward and forward Peter Bandelj and pitch in 14.5 and 13.5 points per game, respectively.
Long Beach State guard Gavin Sykes averages a league second-best 18.8 points per contest and forward Petar Majstorovic puts away 147 points per outing.
UC Riverside guards Marqui Worthy Jr. (34.8 MPG) and Andrew Henderson (33.6 MPG) are first and second in minutes played in the league. Henderson and Worthy Jr. log 17.8 and 16.4 points per outing, the third and fifth most in the conference.
Cal State Bakersfield tops the conference, 19th int he nation, in free throw made (18.8 FTM/G). The Roadrunners are also second in the league in blocked shots (4.8 BPG). Guard Dailin Smith average 16.0 points per contest, which ranks sixth in the league. Forward Ronald Jessamy averages 1.7 blocks per game which ranks second in the conference.
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. Hawai‘i is ranked No. 15, followed by UC Irvine at No. 20.
Mid-Major Top 25
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 >>>
Fifth Wildcard Selection Revealed
Closing out the slate with a final ESPN wildcard contest on Saturday, March 7, league-leading UC Irvine hosts UC Davis on ESPNU. Tipoff from the Bren Events Center has been adjusted to 5 p.m. to account for the television schedule.
For more, click here.
Big West Extends with Lee’s Family Forum
The Big West announced a multi-year extension of its partnership with Lee’s Family Forum, securing the venue as the home of the Big West Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships through March 2030, reinforcing the conference’s strong commitment to the Las Vegas/Henderson region and to delivering a premier championship experience for student-athletes and fans alike. Learn more >>> |
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