Let’s hope CSUN has a nice 2-game run

Are you going to Henderson, Mike?

It might be chalk to say that the Ags will face Hawai`i in the semis, but I think it more likely that we'll be playing either the Matadors or Gauchos. Hawai`i is 4-6 on the road and lost to both teams away from Honolulu.

I’m passing. My wife has a commitment next weekend so it would be me solo. The old days of cheap trips to Vegas are gone. A flight and hotel in Henderson was around $1200!

Dang, the prices have gone up!

I'll be up at Northstar through Friday skiing with my son. Hopefully, I'll arrive home in one piece in time to watch the Aggies on Friday night.

At my age, skiing has become a risky business but I still love it even though I have two relatives in Colorado who have suffered serious a broken leg that required surgery already this year. They're still young enough to heal up and return to the activities they love to do...probably not so much anymore with me. I'm hoping the family, Colorado skiing curse doesn't spread to California though!

I think we got a pretty good draw when you look at the teams we might end up playing in our first game.

Click on the image to enlarge it.


https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/ncaa-conference-tournament-basketball-betting-odds-picks-2024

They say it's not the team that was best during the season but he one playing the best at the end. UC Davis endured a slump for a bit, but they're on a roll now after the two impressive wins at San Diego and Long Beach. The defense in particular is really solid and playing the tough man-to-man that requires everyone to hustle and be on the same page. If Milling and DeBruhl have found their shooting touch opponents can't focus on just Eli and TY. They're also mostly healthy. I like our chances.

the two teams that stand out to me are:

1) Irvine - very deep, many ways to score, defend like crazy and very well coached.
2) UCR - they are coming on strong. They can score and are very well coached.

I can see Bako winning a couple - they defend very well and their physical style seems to really disrupt teams. I was hoping Fullerton snuck by them.

Tip to consider for anyone going to the tourney. We went last year and stopped at the District at Green Valley Ranch before the game. Its a upscale mall with nice pub and restaurant options. We had a few drinks, dinner and then walked 10 minutes to the game. Just spend some money at the mall and don't walk straight to the game from the car and you should be fine.

Caveat- I'm a cheap bast#rd and often try to avoid paying for parking. Its probably smart to just pay the money and park at the arena- ha.

I don't think we are going to make it this year, but hopefully with a #2 seed more Aggie fans will show up this year. The showing last year was rather bleak.

green valley resort is a really nice place and was cheaper than most other Henderson hotels.

Well, until they slap on the $50/day resort fee - then it evened out!

UCSD had been ‘selected’ to participate in the CBI. Comes with a $27500 fee; seems worthwhile expense to reward the players who stuck around without a opportunity to play in the Big West championship (and beyond)

Monson is gone at the beach after this season. Wonder how this will effect their performance at the tourney

Wow...I've heard some of The Beach fans over on the Big West Boards calling for his head but I didn't see that coming. He recruits some high level talent but this year's team really did underperform in conference play and finished with 5 straight loses. That was probably the nail in the coffin. Bob Williams considers him one of the best coaches in the conference.

The news I read said it was a mutual parting of the ways. Otherwise, the timing is miserable. He's 63 so maybe he's just ready to retire and this is a way to get his team fired up.

He's been at Long Beach for 17 years.

Yes, I remember looking at Green Valley Resort online last year and it looked nice. Probably worth it if you want to see all the Big West games. We ended up staying at the Orleans because my wife's St Mary's team was playing there. The Orleans is kinda "meh" but a 5 minute walk from your room to the arena is perfect when you get into town about an hour before a game starts.

Not going to Henderson. I've lost nothing to Vegas. I guess it's all the trend these days but I much preferred going to Anaheim - more students came to the games even though the "crowds" were lost inside the Honda Center. I guess it saves the Big West money and $$$ rules these days. At least the Big West doesn't have to contend with football.

I'm liking how the Ags have been playing with intense defense and an offense that is making the vital shots - and some impossible ones too.

Thanks for the history. I see that of the long term members of the Big West, only UC Riverside has not yet won a tournament.

#5 Riverside 83 #8 Bakersfield 78

Ajay Mitchell single-handedly leading the Gauchos against CSUN who is trying their hardest to lose this game.

Whoa! I see that CSUN won to end a really disappointing season for the Gauchos and despite Mitchell's 36 points. I'm going to predict that the Ags will face the Matadors on Friday.

CSUN 87 Santa Barbara 84 in OT. This was CSUN's first BW Tournament win 2014.

Many people thought Santa Barbara was the team to beat in Big West in the pre-season predictions. On paper, they were as loaded but, it goes to show, that there's a whole lot more to building a winning team than the sum of the players' resumes on the roster.

Mitchell had a tough time in the OT period. He didn't score and, during a 28 second stretch from 3:24 to 2:56 to go in OT, he missed 3 straight jumpers.

Hawaii holds on to beat Csun. So we get a double dose of Aggies vs Hawaii, women at 12:00 and men at 8:30

Was really hoping for CSUN…

I can't say I'm not surprised given that I predicted a CSUN upset, but I do agree that it will be tougher to beat Hawai`i than it would have against the Matadors. At the same time, I see that the Beach rolled over UCR 86-67, so I would not want to trade places with the Anteaters.

https://www.facebook.com/1072596412/posts/pfbid021sEMXnh87pA88ezAxbUJTVXbzihBVYKuzyB8ECqRWDL13KUHYWaSMEGA1iaevBUWl/

Aggies advance!

In their March Madness debut, UC Davis defeats NC Central, 67-63, to set up first round game vs Kansas.

The #1 Irvine vs #4 Long Beach will be an intense battle between these two rivalry schools especially now that The Beach wants to win so badly for Monson.