Cal Poly, UCSB basketball begin Big West Tournament

Posted: Mar 10, 2010 12:42 PM by Andrew Masuda
Updated: Mar 10, 2010 12:42 PM

The UC Santa Barbara women and the Cal Poly men's basketball team play during opening day of the Big West Conference Tournament in Anaheim today.

The Cal Poly men face off against UC Irvine around 8:30 pm in the Anaheim Convention Center. It will be the second time in four days that the two teams will meet.Last Saturday, the Mustangs blew an eight point lead with 48 seconds left to play and lost to the Anteaters in overtime91-84. Head coach Joe Callero says on the plus side, his team is well prepared on what to expect from UC Irvine. History is not on the Mustangs' side.The tournament is single elimination. Cal Poly must win four games in four days in order to win the Tournament and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. No team has ever played in the first round and gone on to win the tournament. But Callero says anything can happen especially this year in the evenly matched Big West.

"I think it is the mini-dance in itself. It's a momentum experience. We're not going to put it passed us," said Callero. "Our mentality is pack for four or five days. We want to hang around and be there long enough to watch the women's team play in the semifinals and the championship. We hope we're all there and we can bring half of the town back."

Cal Poly beat the Anteaters in their conference opener 95-81.

The last time the Mustangs won a game at the Conference Tournament was in the 2006-2007 season.

In order to play in their 14th straight Conference Tournament title game, the UC Santa Barbara women will have to three games in three days starting Wednesday afternoon. The women's team is seeded fifth in the tournament and will open play on at noon versus No 8 seed Pacific. Late in the first half, UCSB led Pacific 34-19. Mekia Valentine, the Gauchos star center, led all scorers with 16 points in the first 17 minutes.

The Gauchos swept the season series against the Tigers winning 65-58 and 71-34. UCSB has won eleven Big West Tournament titles in the previous 13 seasons.

The UCSB men and Cal Poly women scored two byes and automatic berths in to Friday's semifinals.

KSBY Sports has a crew in Anaheim as long as the Gauchos and Mustangs are in the hunt. So be sure to tune in to KSBY News at 6,10 and 11pm and back here for scores and highlights.