I'm betting it'll be like last year where 2 or more teams will be contenders right until the final week. Said contenders will probably include the Aggies based on what we're seeing so far.
If I remember right we have an ESPN game opportunity close to the end of the season. (Which we'll probably get based on history.) Imagine if that's the game to clinch the conference title!
We aren't going to waltz through the conference. It'll be a dogfight all the way as it usually is. If we keep our focus and stay healthy, I think we will be one of the contenders. Santa Barbara is looking very tough and just might well be the odds on favorite at the moment.
17 UC Davis (6-2) 0.649
45 UCSB (7-2) 0.602
112 Lg Beach St (3-7) 0.537
152 UC Irvine (2-7) 0.511
163 Hawaii (4-2) 0.504
180 Cal Poly (3-4) 0.487
189 CS Fullerton (3-3) 0.482
301 UC Riverside (1-6) 0.401
350 Cal St Nrdge (0-7) 0.291
i think we'll know alot more about the conference at the end of the month. we have some tough games coming up, so I don't expect us in the top 20. i think the current 'top 5' will be the top 5 at the end of the year. bottom 3 teams look pretty weak. poly is okay, but always a pain for us.
It would be awesome if the title were on the line and we had an ESPN home game to decide it. On the other hand, I'd be happy to run away with it!
It's a shame that ESPN takes the easy road and schedules so many of the televised conference games in SoCal. We always have the best atmosphere in the league when we get an ESPN game but those games are few and far between. We usually end up with an ESPN road game at Riverside, Fullerton or Northridge...not the most exciting venues to play in especially for the visiting team.
There are 3 players in the nation currently averaging at least 20 ppg and 10 rpg:
1) Marvin Bagley (Duke), 6’11/PF (will be #1 pick in 2018 NBA Draft)
2) Brandon McCoy (UNLV), 7’0/C (will be lottery pick in 2018 NBA Draft)
3) Chima Moneke (UC Davis), 6’6/F
We're lucky to have him. Now if we could only get more fans in the seats to support both the men's and the women's teams. These basketball teams are creating a competitive culture and we need the fans to and students to do their part to support them. If we can create a great fan base it will help with recruiting too. Players want to play in a full house that's going nuts. We need to make this happen.
If we keep improving, propspective students will get an introduction to us because of our athletics. Once they are on campus, they’ll want to go to games.
Aloha from me out here in Hawaii. Of course, I get lots of news about the Hawaii b-ball team and we Aggie fans should not overlook Hawaii. At least one national pub picked them to win the Big West and for good reason. They return a lot of players and have a lot of versatility, plus an excellent coach in Eran Ganot. Remember him? He led UH to its first NCAA win over Cal two years ago with a team with probably less talent than this one. I'm sure Jim Les knows all about the Rainbow Warriors.