Big West Basketball Tournament: UC Irvine the heavy favorite in 2019

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LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 24: Tommy Rutherford #42 of the UC Irvine Anteaters looks to pass against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks during the 2017 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 24, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. UC Irvine won 77-71. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /

Teams to Watch

Favorite – UC Irvine

UC Irvine may not just be the best team in the “California Bus League,” they may be the best team in California, period. Head Coach Russ Turner has his team playing a level of team basketball that most programs would love to have, assisting on 50% of their baskets and boasting a Top 25 scoring defense. This may not be the most talented team the Anteater have ever had, but it is certainly the most cohesive that we have seen in a while.

With an experienced lineup full of juniors and seniors, this stage should not be too big for UC Irvine, and neither UC Santa Barbara nor CSU Fullerton will have an advantage in that respect. The Anteaters are heading into this tournament fully expecting to win the auto-bid, and there is no reason to doubt them.

Sleeper – Long Beach State

Don’t let the 14-18 record, or the conferences eighth ranked scoring defense, fool you, the Long Beach State 49ers are just as dangerous as any team behind UC Irvine. Consistency has certainly been an issue, but Deishuan Booker, Temidayo Yussuf and Bryan Alberts can flat out score the rock. Teams will have to be at their best offensively against Long Beach State, because any slow scoring night could make them vulnerable. If the offense is clicking, the threes are falling, and they play any semblance of defense, the 49ers could definitely upset two teams on their way to the Championship Game. They are also the only team to beat UC Irvine this season, making them the perfect candidate for an upset title bid.