That was the second sell-out ever for the Tritons. Great to see the stands filled with fans. Frankly I cannot imagine that at UCD unless it was a hyped game on ESPN.

Fun game to watch! Kudos to Russell Turner for an excellent game plan his team executed well. Having UCSD go cold from the outside certainly helped the Anteater cause.

Hawai`i went to the foul line 38 times against Fullerton and canned 36 of them.

I only caught the last 10 minutes or so after we got home last night. I was much more impressed with Irvine than UCSD. Irvine seems more well rounded, whereas the Tritons lived (and died) by the 3.

I cant my believe Tillis is still playing for the Eaters. He’s my favorite opponent. Not exactly a chiseled physique, kind of a sleepy look. But that guy just makes plays. Irvine, as a team, doesn’t impress you with their athleticism (compared to day Long Beach) but they defend like crazy and don’t make mistakes. Having a seven foot weapon helps!!

Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe the tournament is an 8-team format? With this stretch of road games coming up, we might be putting ourselves on the outside of tournament eligibility unless we can right the ship soon

Games of Jan. 16:

UC Irvine (home, 16-2/6-0) 82, CSU Fullerton (5-14/0-7) 62
UC San Diego (15-3/5-1) 80, Long Beach State (home, 7-11/3-3) 54
CSUN (12-6/4-3) 83, Hawai’i (home, 11-6/3-3) 60
UC Santa Barbara (home, 12-5/4-2) 66, UC Riverside (10-8/3-3) 63

Only one surprise here and that was in Hawai`I, where the Rainbow Warriors couldn’t figure out how to keep the Matadors off the boards despite a big height advantage. I watched part of this game and Keonte Jones—the same guy who grabbed 20 against the Ags-- was jumping out of the arena. The top two teams continue to roll over the rest of the West. The Tritons held Devin Askew (who got 32 against the Ags last week) to 11 points in their mauling of the Beach at the Pyramid, while UCI didn’t allow a single Titan player to score more than 10. Those two teams play defense.

Games of Jan. 18:

CSU Fullerton (6-14/1-7) 83, Long Beach State (home, 7-12/3-4) 67
Hawai’i (home, 12-6/4-3) 81, CSU Bakersfield (9-10/3-4) 70
UC Riverside (home, 11-8/4-3) 85, UC San Diego (15-4/5-2) 81
UC Irvine (home, 17-2/7-0) 101, Cal Poly (6-14/0-8) 71

The Titans surprise Long Beach to get their first conference victory. Meanwhile UCR had a halftime lead over the Tritons, 44-35 and held on for the second big upset of the night. Cal Poly played the Anteaters tough as we’ve seen them do all season, but UCI broke it open early in the second half. The Mustangs now have the longest active NCAA record for consecutive conference losses at 45. Bakersfield continues its perfect road record of 0-4.

Games of Jan. 23:

CSU Bakersfield (10-10/4-4) 71, CSU Fullerton (home, 6-15/1-8)
CSUN (home, (13-6/5-3) 86, Long Beach State (7-13/3-5) 76
UC Riverside (home, 12-8/5-3) 84, UC Irvine (17-3/7-1) 80 OT
UC San Diego (home, 17-4/7-2) 77, UC Santa Barbara (12-7/4-5) 63

UC Irvine showed vulnerability tonight in losing to the Highlanders in overtime. This has to be one of the big upsets in the Big West this year.

That must have been some game since it was also tied at the half.

UCSD really has it going. They had 3442 fans at the Lion Tree Arena for their win over UCSB which is the 4th largest crowd they have ever had since moving to D1.

Poly beats Beach 78-67 to break their conference losing streak. How the heck did the Beach shoot 65% from the arc to beat us? That one hopefully doesn’t hurt us down the stretch

I'm glad to see that Poly got that monkey of their backs!

Games of Jan. 25:

UC San Diego (home, 17-4/7-2) 79, CSUN (13-7/5-4) 54
Cal Poly (home, 7-14/1-8 ) 78, Long Beach State (7-14/3-6) 69
UC Riverside (13-8/6-3) 83, CSU Bakersfield (home,10-11/4-5) 79
UC Irvine (home,18-3/8-1) 71, Hawai`i (12-8/4-5) 55
UC Santa Barbara (13-7/5-4) 83, CSU Fullerton (home, 6-16/1-9) 75

Only one real upset. Cal Poly finally gets off the schneid avoiding an NCAA record for futility and extending what would be a 7 game Big West losing streak by the Beach had they not beaten UCD. And we all had to know that the Anteaters would be fired up in their next game after being upset on Thursday, so the Rainbow Warriors were not going to win this one.

I'm wondering if Long Beach will have to a-poly-gize for the loss...

Okay, not really. Poly is a better team than their record shows. They have the monkey off their back and might well have a big role in how the conference plays out the rest of the season.

Games of Jan. 30:

CSUN (14-7/6-4) 78, UC Santa Barbara (home, 13-8/5-5) 71
UC Irvine (19-3/9-1) 80, Long Beach State (home, 7-15/3-7) 75
Cal Poly (8-14/2-8) 90, CSU Bakersfield (home,10-12/4-6) 81
UC San Diego (18-4/8-2) 74, Hawai`i (home, 12-9/4-6) 63

Looking ahead to the Big West tournament, the field is beginning to spread out. It appears likely that Cal Poly and Fullerton State will not make the cut, although the Beach has lost 5 i a row and could slip into the bottom. With their win today, Riverside looks good for a top 4 spot and could even challenge Irvine and San Diego, especially since the second half of their season is a lot easier than the first half. The Aggies are not in such good shape and could still fall as far down as the 8 seed since they have four games remaining against UCI and UCSD, as well as three tough games against the likes of UCR and CSUN. Since they have been playing well lately, however, it is certainly possible for them to wind up with a top 4 seed. A top 2 seed would seem out of reach. But the league season is only half over and we might see some surprises.

i was telling my wife last night we really wanted LBSU to lose to make sure we get in the top 8, especially since the Beach already owns a victory over us.

That loss last night hurt considering the games we have left (2 vs Irvine, 2 vs UCSD, and this road gauntlet). i'd be feeling much better at 7-3 vs 6-4.

FWIW, SMC also got its 20th win tonight, beating the Zags at home. A well balanced team, lead by 16 points from a freshman guard. Now 10-0 WCC but still unranked.

Games of Feb. 1:

UC Santa Barbara (home, 14-8/6-5) 85, Long Beach State (7-16/3-8) 54
CSUN (home, 15-7/7-4) 88, CSU Bakersfield (10-13/4-7) 62
UC Riverside (home, 15/8-3) 80, Cal Poly (home, 8-15/2-9) 62
Hawai`i (home, 13-9/5-6) 82, CSU Fullerton (6-17/1-10) 57

With today’s results the Aggies fall out of the top 4 with the hardest part of their schedule looming two weeks from now.

Games of Feb. 6

UC Santa Barbara (15-8/7-5) 81, CSU Bakersfield (home, 10-14/4-8) 75
CSUN (home, 16-7/8-4) 82, CSU Fullerton (6-18/1-11) 63
UC San Diego (home, 19-4/9-2) 91, UC Riverside (15-9/8-4) 71
Cal Poly (home, 9-15/3-9) 79, Hawai`i (13-10/5-7) 63

No real upsets here, including Cal Poly’s win over Hawai`i. Those two teams are heading in opposite directions with the Mustangs having won 3 of their last 4 and Hawai`i having lost 4 of their last 5. We’re starting to see just a bit of separation in the standings between the top 2, the next 4 and the bottom 5 with Hawai`i being the only team with a realistic shot of making it to the top 4 if they can right their ship.

I didn't expect San Diego to steamroll Riverside...wow...they are a very good basketball team.

Not looking forward to the 2 games vs the Triton, especially down there! When they get on a roll, they can be devastating. Think back to the beat down they gave us at home last year.

Games of Feb. 8

UC Riverside (home, 16-9/9-4) 69, CSU Bakersfield (10-15/4-9) 64
CSUN (17-7/9-4) 81, Long Beach State (home, 7-18/3-10) 80
UC San Diego (20-4/10-2) 85, UC Irvine (home, 20-4/10-2) 67
UC Santa Barbara (home, 16-8/8-5) 76 , Hawai`i (13-11/5-8) 72

Can we call the Tritons thumping of UCI an upset? I’m going to say yes, because not only was the game in Irvine, but look at the score. San Diego ran out to an 18 point lead in the second half after a close first half. The thing is, it doesn’t matter much to the rest of the BW, because these two are likely to fight it out for the first seed. If they don’t win the tournament, Irvine’s shot for an at-large NCAA bid is diminishing The bad news is that the three teams that the Ags needed to lose, all won, albeit in close games. Thus UCD is as game behind both UCR and CSUN and tied with UCSB.

A week ago UCSD was ranked the #7 mid major, and an Instagram post had them ranked nationally somewhere in the 50s of all DI programs. And they qualify for the NCAA playoffs.

Their wing-oriented team appears to follow the Les model.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFqvd-SMOhz/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Games of Feb. 8

UC Riverside (home, 16-9/9-4) 69, CSU Bakersfield (10-15/4-9) 64
CSUN (17-7/9-4) 81, Long Beach State (home, 7-18/3-10) 80
UC San Diego (20-4/10-2) 85, UC Irvine (home, 20-4/10-2) 67
UC Santa Barbara (home, 16-8/8-5) 76 , Hawai`i (13-11/5-8) 72

Can we call the Tritons thumping of UCI an upset? I’m going to say yes, becaue not only was the game in Irvine, but look at the score. San Diego ran out to an 18 point lead in the second half after a close first half. The thing is, it doesn’t matter much to the rest of the BW, because these two are likely to fight it out for the first seed. Irvine’s shot, if they don’t win the tournament, for an at-large NCAA bid is diminishing The bad news is that the three teams that the Ags needed to lose, both won, albeit in close games. Thus UCD is as game behind both UCR and CSUN and tied with UCSB.

Games of Feb. 15

UC Riverside (home, 17-10/10-5) 81, UC Santa Barbara (16-10/8-7) 69
CSU Bakersfield (home, 11-16/5-10) 91, CSU Fullerton (6-21/1-13) 54
CSUN (home, 19-7/11-4) 89, Cal Poly (10-16/4-10) 85
UC Irvine (22-4/12-2) 66, Hawai`i (home, 14-12/6-9) 49

With the loss to UCSD, the Aggies are now alone in fifth place, but in a close grouping of four other schools: CSUN, UCSB and UCR. With CSUN at home next week, UCD has a chance to get within a game of them, although it would have been nice had Cal Poly upset the Mats.

The poor Titans can’t seem to beat anyone and that score was one of the more lopsided within the Big West this season. That was the one game that has little impact on the Ags standing, although it indicates that the Roadrunners can’t be taken lightly next week. Hawai`i’s loss helps the Aggies but it would have been great had Riverside lost as well as CSUN.

Games of Feb. 20

UC Santa Barbara (home, 18-10/9-7) 86, CSU Fullerton (6-2 2/1-15) 56
CSUN (19-7/11-4) 84,UC Irvine (home, 22-5/12-3) 72,
UC San Diego (23-4/13-2) 81, Cal Poly (home, 10-17/4-11) 67
UC Riverside (home, 18-10/11-5) 87, Long Beach State (7-20/3-12) 66

The Aggies loss today coupled with the wins by both CSUN and UCR really make the odds of UC Davis getting a first round bye look pretty small. It looks like UCI is starting to struggle. In addition to being hammered by UCSD and upset by CSUN, two of their victories have been by close even though they were in Irvine. The way they dismantled t4h Aggies makes me think the Tritons are the class of the Big West. One thing is now certain: Fullerton will not make the Big West tournament.

Games of Feb. 22

UC Santa Barbara (18-10/10-7) 58, Long Beach State (home,7-21/3-13)
Cal Poly (home, 11-15/5-11) 110, UC Riverside (18-11/11-6) 100 OT
UC Irvine (23-5/13-3) 73, CSU Bakersfield (home, 12-17/6-11) 64
UC San Diego (home, 24-4/14-2) 83, Hawai`i (14-13/6-10) 44

It’s scary to note that the Tritons have now won their last 3 games by an average of 26 points and have won 10 in a row. Hawai`i, the Aggies next opponent has gone in the other direction having won only 2 of their last 9. I note that this discussion has not drawn much interest lately, so unless I hear from those of you who like it, this will be my last post here.

The Tritons and CSUN seem to be on a roll.

BIG WEST STANDINGS

UC San Diego (14-2) CLINCHED BWT BYE
UC Irvine (13-3) CLINCHED BWT
CSUN (12-4) CLINCHED BWT
UC Riverside (11-6) CLINCHED BWT
UC Santa Barbara (10-7) CLINCHED BWT
UC Davis (9-8)
Hawai'i (6-10)
CSU Bakersfield (6-11)
Cal Poly (5-11)
Long Beach State (3-13)
Cal State Fullerton (1-15) ELIMINATED

I think we’re clinched also since we swept Poly, but maybe multi-team ties mess things up? We did lose twice to Bako who’s behind us.