UC Davis won the regular-season title a year ago, but coach Jim Les and the Aggies lost the Big West Player of the Year, Corey Hawkins, to graduation and should take a significant step back. Despite losing a couple of starters, UC Irvine will be the preseason favorite, although the Anteaters should have some competition from the likes of Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara.
Long Beach State coach Dan Monson always seems to load up on transfers, and this year is no different. Santa Barbara coach Bob Williams won't be able to replace Alan Williams, who had been one of the most productive players in all of college basketball, but he still has arguably the best returning player in the league in senior guard Michael Bryson.
Even teams expected to finish toward the bottom of the league, such as UC Riverside, could make a move. Coach Dennis Cutts and the Highlanders return a pair of the Big West's top players: forward Taylor Johns and fellow senior Jaylen Bland in the backcourt.
Favorite
UC Irvine coach Russell Turner nearly left for George Mason in the offseason but decided to stay west, and that cemented the Anteaters as the clear favorites to win the league. Turner & Co. went 11-5 in Big West play last season and claimed the league tourney. Irvine has the league's best defensive game-changer in 7-foot-6 junior Mamadou Ndiaye and also two of the better guards in the league in junior Luke Nelson and senior floor leader Alex Young. Ndiaye played only 15 games last season because of injuries, but averaged 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds and also blocked 25 shots. Leading scorer Will Davis II is gone, but Turner feels as though senior Mike Best, who started over Davis as a freshman, will be able to step in and help fill the void. Turner also loves his backcourt depth with Nelson, Young, Jaron Martin and Aaron Wright.
"We'll be similar, but better," Turner told ESPN. "One of the reasons we'll be better is because we dealt with so many injuries last year. Our guards have also really improved."
Sleeper
First-year coach Eran Ganot was hired after interim coach Benjy Taylor, who took over on a temporary basis after Gib Arnold was fired, led the team to a 22-13 record last season. The Rainbow Warriors return three guys who earned a spot on one of the Big West all-league teams last season: senior guard Roderick Bobbitt and a pair of juniors in 6-foot-11 forward Stefan Jankovic and 6-foot-5 guard Aaron Valdes.
The core of this group lost to UC Irvine in the Big West tourney title game, but now it's a 33-year-old former Saint Mary's assistant, Ganot, who will be in charge. Ganot has also added former Arizona State forward Sai Tummala, who averaged 14.8 points last season at Salt Lake Community College. The Rainbow Warriors will probably be picked to finish somewhere around the middle of the league, but they have enough talent and experience to compete for one of the top spots.
Team that could fall on its face
LBSU coach Dan Monson has consistently brought in talented transfers, but you never know how the players will gel and react to the 49ers' brutal nonconference schedule, which includes road games at Duke, Arizona, UCLA and Oregon and home games against San Diego State and BYU. Monson takes risks. This season, he's got former Maryland wing Nick Faust and also Gabe Levin, who transferred twice, from Loyola Marymount to Marquette to Long Beach, in one summer. Both players arrived at Long Beach with questions. Monson also adds ex-USC forward Roschon Prince. It's undeniable that Monson has talent, but it's chemistry that usually determines the 49ers' fate. It's also worrisome that the 49ers lost all five starters from last year's team, including all-everything point guard Mike Caffey.
Top pro prospect
Mamadou Ndiaye, UC Irvine
The Senegal native is 7-foot-6 and 300 pounds. He considered leaving early for the NBA but opted to come back to school for his junior campaign
"As long as he stays healthy, he'll have a dominant season," Turner said. "Even when he's not healthy, he's still dominant."
Ndiaye showed well last season against Arizona and also in a close NCAA tournament loss to Louisville, recording 12 points and five boards in 30 minutes. Plenty of NBA personnel have been at practice and games to evaluate Ndiaye, whose size and shot-blocking ability make him a legitimate prospect.
Projected all-conference team
G: Michael Bryson, UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
G: Jaylen Bland, UC Riverside Highlanders
G: Roderick Bobbitt, Hawaii
F: Taylor Johns, UC Riverside
F: Brian Bennett, Cal Poly Mustangs