The Big West Conference's Struggles
The Difficulties Facing Basketball Programs in California
Jan 6, 2009
Like so many mid-majors, it cries out for exposure but gets the shafted when compared to the Pac-10, Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, ACC, SEC and the like. Having just two teams with winning records and a combined record of 52-67 doesn't help.
And yet on closer inspection, the Big West, which is based entirely in California and comprises Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara and Pacific is not unlike any big conference, as the recent teleconference of coaches showed.
First, the Big West has marquee players. Fullerton's Josh Akognon is among the national leaders in scoring with a 23.5-point average. Riverside's Kyle Austin, a sophomore transfer from USC, is averaging 17.8 points per game in just six games since becoming eligible. If they were playing at North Carolina or UCLA, they'd receive as much ink as Kyle Hansbrough or Darren Collison.
Second, the conference has controversy. Deon Tresvant of Cal State Northridge, the team's leading scorer, missed the UC Davis game because he had been arrested and charged with second-degree commercial theft of more than $400. Northridge coach Bobby Braswell wouldn't comment. Then, during the next day's teleconference, Braswell wasn't available, sending assistant coach Louis Wilson in his stead. The reason: Braswell's son, Jeffrey, had been arrested with Tresvant and two others. This was the "personal business" Wilson said Braswell was attending to as reason for missing the teleconference.
Had this happened in any major conference, ESPN would have put it on its scroll at the bottom of the screen. "SportsCenter" would have reported it. "Pardon The Interruption" or "Around The Horn" might have commented on it.
Thirdly, the Big West has its feel-good story in UC Riverside. At 9-4, the Highlanders match last season's win total, have the best overall record in the conference and is just two wins away from matching its best win total since moving to Division I in 2003. Not bad for a team the media and coaches picked to finish last.
How are they doing it? Having Austin helps. But coach Jim Woolridge said it's more than just Austin. Javon Borum is an outside shooting threat (his 12 points against UCSB was second to Autin's 13). Aaron Scott sets the tempo with nine points, 3 assists and 3 steals against the Guachos. Sean Cunningham has had some clutch games, such as his 11 points against UCSB.
"We have a team that stays on balance," Woolridge said, "and we need to stay on balance."
Remember Vanderbilt football? After being the SEC's doormat for years, the Commodores burst into the national consciousness in 2007 with an upset of South Carolina.
Call it East Coast bias. Call it West Coast Woes. But the Big West is just like the big boys in many ways.
