Busting Brackets
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Big West Basketball: 2021 conference tournament preview, predictions

By David Mullen

Mar 14, 2019; Anaheim, CA, USA; UC Irvine Anteaters guard Robert Cartwright (3) drives to the basket between UC Riverside Highlanders center Menno Dijkstra (right) and UC Riverside Highlanders guard Dragan Elkaz (0) during the second half in the Big West conference tournament at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 14, 2019; Anaheim, CA, USA; UC Irvine Anteaters guard Robert Cartwright (3) drives to the basket between UC Riverside Highlanders center Menno Dijkstra (right) and UC Riverside Highlanders guard Dragan Elkaz (0) during the second half in the Big West conference tournament at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Big West Basketball Cal State Northridge Matadors TJ Starks Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Big West Basketball Cal State Northridge Matadors TJ Starks Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /

Key Players

TJ Starks – Cal State Northridge

2020-21 stats: 21.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.1 apg

TJ Starks, a Texas A&M transfer and former All-SEC Freshman team member, has spurred the Cal State Northridge Matadors’ this year with potent scoring and solid shooting from the field. Starks is averaging a career-high of 21.6 points per game after averaging 12.3 points per game and 9.9 points per game, respectively, during his two seasons with the Texas A&M Aggies.

This year, Starks has really taken on the responsibility of running the Matadors’ offense and it shows by leading the Big West conference in points produced with 376. He also leads the conference in points per game, free throw attempts, free throws made, field goals made, and field goals attempted.

Unfortunately for Starks and the Matadors, Cal State Northridge had a sub .500 season and will need to dig themselves out of a hole in the conference tournament. Northridge will have to run through some of the best teams in the conference and that may be too tall of an order for Starks.

Mark Crowe – Cal Poly

2020-21 stats: 7.3 ppg, 1 apg, 2.5 rpg

Crowe, a fifth-year senior for Cal Poly, is their three-point threat and one of the best in the conference. Crowe’s best season shooting was his redshirt sophomore season hitting on 40.8% of his 4.9 three-point attempts per game. That also happened to be his best all-around statistical season.

Since then, Crowe saw his playing time dwindle to 16 minutes per game in 2019-20 before seeing it increase to 28.1 minutes per game this year. On 5.3 attempts per game this year, Crowe is successful on two of those attempts which are good for a 37.6% success rate. Crowe is on another team that will have to overcome huge obstacles with the first being trying to win their second conference game of the year. Crowe has been the only good part of this 2020-21 Cal Poly team.

Jaquori McLaughlin – UC Santa Barbara

2020-21 stats: 15.6 ppg, 5.4 apg, 3.4 rpg

McLaughlin, in his third season with UC Santa Barbara after transferring from Oregon State after the 2017-18 season, is leading the Gauchos as the favorites to win the Big West Conference Tournament. This year, McLaughlin has taken ownership of the Gaucho’s offense as evidenced by his league-leading 119 assists.

Further, McLaughlin is a seasoned collegiate veteran now and his efficiency has greatly enhanced the Gauchos offense. While being the main ball-handler and distributor, McLaughlin is also a scorer. McLaughlin is top five in the conference in field goals made, field goals attempted, and field goal percentage.

McLaughlin also contributes on the defensive end with 1.6 steals per game (6th in the Big West). There is no doubt that McLaughlin is the engine behind the Gauchos. The Gauchos will only go as far as their engine takes them.

Collin Welp – UC Irvine

2020-21 stats: 14.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.5 apg

Junior forward Collin Welp is the key to UC Irvine’s tournament success. Welp, like Jaquori McLaughlin with UC Santa Barbara, is the engine behind his team. On the year, Welp has continually filled up the stat sheet despite being less successful from three-point range than in previous years.

Against his conference, Welp has shown out with 16.2 points per game, 8 rebounds per game, and 1.6 assists per game. Welp has shown spurts of explosiveness with point totals of 29 and 27 against conference opponents. Despite an off-game in the season finale, Welp has shown to be fairly consistent for UC Irvine while leading them to a second-place regular-season finish in the Big West Conference.

Arinze Chidom – UC Riverside

2020-21 stats: 13.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.4 apg

Chidom, a Washington State University transfer, has found his home with UC Riverside. While getting minimal playing time at WSU and only producing around 4 points per game, Chidom has averaged double-digit points per game over two seasons at UC Riverside. Specifically, this year, Chidom has averaged 13.5 points per game on almost 50% shooting from the field while taking 11 field goal attempts per game; very efficient for a team that will need efficiency.

Chidom does not jump off the stat sheet and he does not maintain rankings on the top of leaderboards. However, he is a solid, consistent player who shows up in the top 10 of many different categories because he has maximized his efficiency.