Even in this COVID-19 tossed year the Big West Conference men’s basketball poll managed to have a look of annual familiarity.
For the fourth year in a row UC Irvine was picked to win the conference and for the fourth consecutive season the University of Hawaii’s projected finish in the media poll posted Thursday put the Rainbow Warriors in the middle, fourth place this time.
But, after finishing 8-8 in the conference three of the last four years, UH looks to finally have the athleticism and roster flexibility to move beyond being just a .500 team and become more of a contender.
A title is something the ’Bows haven’t accomplished since winning it all in 2015-16 when they went 28-6 (13-3 conference). And, while it is too much to ask for this season with the roster turnover of four starters, you’d like to think this new-look UH team should at least be more of a challenger.
With two of its three 7-footers having departed and several quicker, more mid-sized recruits among its seven newcomers and two new teams (Cal State Bakersfield and UC San Diego) joining the league, UH should be better suited to step up in this mid-major conference.
Ten of UH’s players are now listed between 6-feet, 5 inches and 6-feet, 9 inches, providing a flexibility of position the Rainbow Warriors haven’t had for a while.
To be sure the return of Samuta Avea, the improvement of sophomore guard Justin Webster and addition of transfers Casdon Jardine, James Jean-Marie and Junior Madut should help.
This year UH will play 20 games against conference members due to the league expansion. But, while all 20 will count in overall records, in a curious twist, only 18 games will count in the official league standings since UC San Diego is in the midst of a four-year transition from Division II to Division I.
The Tritons will not be eligible to compete for the conference tournament or the league’s NCAA berth, though their women’s team will be.
Unlike the Big West women’s coaches, the men’s coaches have not participated in a preseason poll for several years. Presumably that’s not to box themselves in if, at the end of the season, the reality of their records doesn’t meet loftier preseason expectations.
Not that UC Irvine has had to worry about that for a while. The Anteaters have been the comfortable and reliable preseason pick, winning the regular-season title five times in seven years and return the foundation of a team that should make another run.
Perhaps the most intriguing team is long-time bottom feeder UC Riverside, which is coming off a school-record matching 17 victories with a veteran core and its fourth coach in as many seasons, Mike Magpayo.
Magpayo, an assistant last season, is the first NCAA Division I head men’s basketball coach of Filipino ancestry.
UC Santa Barbara, with three consecutive 20-win seasons and three runner-up finishes, tries to step out of its role as an annual bridesmaid.
Some things, it seems, don’t change in Big West hoops, though the Rainbow Warriors would like to do something about that this year and should be positioned to do so.
FORECASTING BIG WEST BASKETBALL
Men’s Preseason Media Poll
RANK TEAM POINTS
1. UC Irvine (18) 270
2. UC Santa Barbara (9) 254
3. UC Davis (1) 182
4. Hawaii 165
5. UC Riverside 160
6. Long Beach State 141
7. CSU Bakersfield 117
8. Cal State Northridge 102
9. Cal State Fullerton 95
10. Cal Poly 54
First-place votes in parenthesis Source: Big West Conference
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
