November 8, 2007
Big West Conference men's preview
By Jim Jenkins
Teams are listed in order of predicted finish in the preseason media poll (UC Davis was picked to place eighth) with last season's records:
1. UC Santa Barbara (18-11 overall, 9-5 Big West) – The Gauchos return four starters, including 6-foot-6 senior guard Alex Harris, who led the conference in scoring last season with a 21.1 average. Also back is junior forward Chris Devine (14.1 points).
2. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (19-11, 9-5) – Gone is all-conference guard-forward Derek Stockalper (14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds), but three starters remain, led by guard Dawin Whiten, 11.6 points, and 6-7 junior forward Titus Shelton, who had 38 blocks last season.
3. Cal State Fullerton (20-10, 9-5) – All-conference guard Bobby Brown, the Titans' career scoring leader, is gone, but three other starters return, led by senior forward Scott Cutley, who was all-conference last season with 15.6 points and a league-best 9.5 rebounds.
4. UC Irvine (15-18, 6-8) – The Anteaters lost only one starter, and among those back is the conference's leading shot blocker, senior forward Patrick Sanders, who also averaged 11.9 points.
5. Pacific (12-19, 5-9) – The rebuilding Tigers have just one senior, but back is junior forward Anthony Brown (14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds). Newcomers include San Joaquin Delta College transfers Michael Nunnally, a 6-8 forward who averaged 18.0 points and 12.0 rebounds and was voted the state's top community college player last season, and junior guard Michael Kirby (8.5 points), who helped Foothill High School win a state title.
6. Cal State Northridge (14-17, 5-9) – The Matadors could be a surprise. The starters remain intact. Senior Jonathan Heard, a 6-6 guard-forward, averaged 13.5 points and ranked third in steals. Calvin Chitwood, a 6-8 senior forward, averaged 13.2 points and led the conference in free-throw shooting at 85.1 percent.
7. Long Beach State (24-8, 12-2) – The defending champs lost all their starters and have a new coach, Dan Monson, who was instrumental in Gonzaga's success. Also new to the 49ers is transfer Donovan Morris, a 6-3 junior guard who averaged 11.7 points as a freshman for Fresno State.
9. UC Riverside (7-24, 1-13) – Former Kansas State coach Jim Wooldridge was brought in to lead the program. The Highlanders' lone senior is guard Larry Cunningham, who last season averaged 13.7 points for an offense that ranked last in scoring and field-goal percentage.