Big West more like Wild West

Any team can beat any other team. That sounds like hype or cliche

in men’s college basketball, yet in the Big West Conference the

statement has held true this season. The Wild West Conference has

displayed the true essence of college basketball. It’s not so much

about parity, but it’s all about the solid competition.

With seven games and then the league tourney remaining, I’m led to

one conclusion: The Big West Tournament champion will go deep in the

NCAA Tournament, especially if the champ is Utah State, UC Santa

Barbara or UC Irvine. In deep, I mean Sweet 16, which would assuredly

bring exposure to the Big West.

The biggest reason for my theory is the tournament champion will

have great momentum and high confidence from winning such a

competitive league. This will also hold true if a “surprise” team

wins, like Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, University of the Pacific or Cal

State Fullerton. Those squads can gain an extra advantage because

they have the ability to sneak up on opponents.

If you’re a fan of college basketball and March Madness, the Big

West Tournament (March 13-15) will more than meet your needs.

* One fact will remain after the Big West season: The Big West

will be represented by one team in the NCAA Tournament. But, it won’t

be due to scheduling. Take for instance, UCI.

The Anteaters faced Oklahoma, Stanford and Pepperdine, all on the

road, before league play. UCI did hurt itself with losses to Oklahoma

and Stanford, yet the Anteaters defeated Pepperdine.

UCI’s Rating Percentage Index is 118. The RPI, determined by

winning percentage, schedule strength and opponent’s schedule

strength, is used by the NCAA to help in the selection of at-large

teams and the seeding of all teams for the NCAA Tournament.

Utah State has the highest RPI (101) among Big West schools.

Next year, UCI will host Stanford and Pepperdine.

* One interesting story UCI associate head coach Todd Lee shared

last week was the one about his and Coach Pat Douglass’ recruiting of

Jerry Green, UCI’s career scoring leader and the Big West Player of

the Year in 2001 and 2002.

Douglass and Lee went to see Green at Pomona High when Green’s

squad took on rival Garey. After the game, Douglass and Lee waited to

talk to Pomona coaches but a fight ensued between the two teams.

Then, gunshots came.

“I turned around and Pat was gone,” Lee said.

Long story short, Douglass and Lee spoke with the Pomona coaches a

little later in the season.

All kidding aside, Green was the type of player few college teams

knew about. Most players of his caliber had already found schools

before high schools went into the league season. But UCI found him by

word of mouth.

Bill Carr, now an assistant at Long Beach State, was an assistant

at the University of San Francisco. The Dons were done with their

recruiting and Carr told Lee about a talented kid at Pomona. The rest

is Anteater history.

* Former UCI men’s water polo players Genai Kerr and Dan Klatt

are juggling schedules at this time of the year. Kerr, who earned

All-American honors at UCI in 1998, coaches Sage Hill School girls

water polo, which could possibly gain a spot in the CIF Division VI

playoffs. Kerr is also the goalie for the U.S. national men’s team.

Klatt, an All-American in 1998, ’99 and 2000, is co-coaching the

undefeated Foothill High girls water polo team. Foothill won the

Irvine Southern California Championships Saturday. Klatt is also on

the U.S. national team.

* Ty Tramblie, a Newport Harbor High product and the junior

starting setter for the Cal State Northridge men’s volleyball team,

helped lead the Matadors to a four-game victory over top-ranked UCI

Friday. The 23-30, 30-26, 31-29, 33-31 win was one of the biggest

victories in school history. It was the first time the Matadors

defeated a No. 1 team.

Tramblie amassed 60 assists and also shared a key block that led

to a second-game victory.

* Greg Perrine, a former Newport Harbor standout, has been

guiding the Chapman University men’s basketball team, which is on a

11-game winning streak. Perrine, a freshman, is the starting point

guard. He scored 11 points and dished out nine assists in Chapman’s

88-65 victory over Hope International Thursday.