Which local team will be the one to stop the Gauchos?
Last season, the UC Irvine men's basketball team won the Big West Conference regular-season championship, but when the conference tournament came around, UC Santa Barbara defeated Cal State Fullerton in the final to dance its way to the NCAA Tournament.
The 2023-24 season gets underway as soon as Monday for some teams and the Gauchos are the preseason favorite, followed closely by a veteran Long Beach State squad, based on voting by the Big West's 11 head coaches.
Here's a look at the five local teams, in alphabetical order:
CAL STATE FULLERTON Coach:
Last season: Who's back:
Who's gone:
Who's new:
Coach's quote:
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE Coach: Andy Newman, first season Last season: 7-25, 4-16conference Who's back: The Matadors have just four returning players, but three were major contributors. Dionte Bostick was second on the team in scoring at 12.4points per game and led in assists
Who's gone:
Who's new:
Coach's quote:
LONG BEACH STATE Coach: Dan Monson, 17th season
Last season: Who's back:
Who's gone:
Who's new:
Coach's quote:
UC IRVINE
Coach: Russell Turner, 14th season Last season: 23-12, 15-5conference Who's back: The Anteaters will have plenty of length, starting with 7-1
Who's gone:
Who's new:
Coach's quote:
UC RIVERSIDE Coach: Last season: Who's back:
Who's gone:
Who's new:
Coach's quote:
Monday Chargers
Favorite
Friday
at Syracuse at Wyoming
Saturday
Washington 3 (761/2) at USC UCLA 21/2 (501/2) at Arizona at Florida 41/2 (501/2) Arkansas at Texas 41/2 (491/2) Kansas St Notre Dame 3 (441/2) at Clemson Wisconsin 91/2 (451/2) at Indiana at Ole Miss 3 (541/2) Texas A&M Ohio St 181/2 (421/2) at Rutgers at S Carolina 151/2 (541/2)Jacksonville St Nebraska 3 (341/2) at Michigan St at Tennessee 351/2 (551/2) UConn at Utah 111/2 (391/2) Arizona St Navy 7 (451/2) at Temple at Virginia 21/2 (561/2) Georgia Tech at Air Force 171/2 (321/2) Army Louisiana 81/2 (591/2) at Arkansas St at UAB 1/2 (601/2) Florida Atl at Memphis 131/2 (681/2) S Florida UTSA 71/2 (711/2) at N Texas Florida St 211/2 (501/2)at Pittsburgh Iowa 51/2 (311/2) at N'western at Baylor 3 (571/2) Houston at Georgia 151/2 (551/2) Missouri at Minnesota 11/2 (431/2) Illinois at Louisville 91/2 (481/2) Virginia Tech Oklahoma 51/2 (611/2) at Okla. St UCF 31/2 (591/2) at Cincinnati Co Carolina 11/2 (501/2) at Old Dom. Tulane 161/2 (451/2) at E Carolina Penn St 81/2 (491/2) at Maryland James Madison 51/2 (531/2) at Georgia St at S Miss 31/2 (561/2) UL Monroe at Tulsa 31/2 (471/2) Charlotte Auburn 121/2 (491/2) atVanderbilt at Nevada 31/2 (501/2) Hawaii Georgia S 21/2 (691/2) at Texas St at Oregon 241/2 (591/2) Cal at Liberty 161/2 (581/2) La. Tech UNLV 91/2 (601/2) at New Mexico at New Mexico St 31/2 (551/2) Mid Tenn at Iowa St 21/2 (521/2) Kansas Utah St 21/2 (571/2) at San Diego St at W Virginia 121/2 (481/2) BYU at Michigan 321/2 (521/2) Purdue Kentucky 41/2 (451/2) at Miss. St SMU 121/2 (581/2) at Rice at Alabama 3 (611/2) LSU Miami (FL) 51/2 (441/2) at NC State at Washington St 131/2 (601/2) Stanford W Kentucky 91/2 (541/2) at UTEP Oregon St 131/2 (621/2) at Colorado at Fresno St 3 (541/2) Boise St
Favorite
Friday Cleveland at Milwaukee at Miami Golden State at Chicago Memphis at Denver