Here We Go, Yo, Here We Go, Yo...
Big West Tournament Scenarios
September 24, 1991 was a landmark day in the music world. Many will correctly point out, that this was the day Nirvana released “Nevermind.” While that’s true, I’m focused on a different record. (Yes, I called it a record.) “Low-End Theory” was released on the same date, the second studio album, by the hip-hop quartet, “A Tribe Called Quest.” I remember being enthralled by the evolution of hip-hop in the nineties, and this album was definitely a high-water mark of that ascension.
Of course, it reached critical mass when on July 7, 1992, Tribe performed their hit, “Scenario” on the Arsenio Hall Show. Hall, a newcomer to the late night game in1989, kind of carved out a role as where you went to break out, if you were a hip-hop outfit, and it didn’t hurt that he was referenced in the song, The Tribe. They performed with Leaders of the New School, and this performance was where I first became acquainted with the work of Busta Rhymes.
It’s only germane to this discussion, in that, I’m presenting all the potential scenarios for the Men’s Bracket in the upcoming Big West Tournament. So, here we go, yo…
UC Irvine 14-5
#1 Seed: Win or UC Santa Barbara loss.
#2 Seed: Loss, and UC Santa Barbara Win
Irvine's win over Riverside Thursday solved a lot of their problems, with regard to any tie-breakers, particularly against UC Santa Barbara, but the surest path for Russ Turner's squad is just take care of business at home against CSU Bakersfield. That home loss to UC San Diego made things pretty interesting for a minute.
UC Santa Barbara 14-5
#1 Seed: Win over Hawaii and UC Irvine loss
#2 Seed: Win over Hawaii, UC Irvine Win, UC Riverside Loss
#3 Seed: Lose to Hawaii w/UC Riverside Loss
#4 Seed: Lose to Hawaii w/UC Riverside Win.
Biggest factor here is the two losses to UC Riverside, who hadn't beaten the Gauchos on the road, in their D-1 history. But, UC Santa Barbara would lock up at least the two-seed, with a win at home, Saturday against Hawaii.
UC Riverside 13-6
#3 Seed: Win over Cal Poly
#5 Seed: Loss to Cal Poly
Highlanders had the most significant game in their D-1 history on Thursday, against UC Irvine. A win would have put them in the driver's seat for the top seed in the tourney, but alas, it was not to be. A win on the road at Cal Poly, basically hands them the three-seed despite all the chaos around them, up top. A loss, though, could be disatrous, since Cal State Fullerton's two cancellations against UC Davis and UC Irvine, give them a winning percentage of .667, it would drop Riverside to 5th, with a loss. The problem for UC Riverside and the two-seed, is that it requires UC Santa Barbara to lose, and that only happens with a Hawaii win, with complicates the scenarios. While Riverside gets the tie-break against the Gauchos, they don't get it against the Bows, who have a win over Irvine.
Hawaii 13-6
#2 Seed: Win over UC Santa Barbara
#4 Seed: Loss to UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside Loss
#5 Seed: Loss to UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside Win
The simplest scenario for the Bows is the road win against UC Santa Barbara, which locks up the two-seed, by virtue of their wins against UC Riverside and UC Irvine. The win over Riverside gets them the tie-break on the Gauchos, while their win against the Eaters, gets them the tie-break over the Highlanders. If they were to lose, they could drop all the way to five, due Cal State's Fullerton's superior winning percentage.
Cal State Fullerton 12-6
#3 Seed Santa Barbara Win & UC Riverside Loss
#4 Seed UC Riverside or Hawaii Loss
#5 Seed UC Riverside and Hawaii Both Win
Fullerton is not playing, so all they can do is watch. Titans will finish any where from 3rd to 5th, based on what happens in three other games. Guessing most likely scenario would involve Irvine and UC Riverside wins. With those results, a UC Santa Barbara win gives them the #2 seed, and slides Fullerton to the four-seed. A Hawaii win, would make Cal State Fullerton the five-seed.
Long Beach State 11-8
#6 Seed w/Win vs. UC Davis
#7 Seed w/Loss to UC Davis
UC Davis 10-8
#6 Seed w/Win vs. Long Beach State
#7 Seed w/Loss to Long Beach State
CSU Bakersfield 6-13
Will be #8 Seed
CSUN 4-16
Will be #9 Seed
Cal Poly 1-17
Will be #10 Seed
HERE'S MY BEST GUESS
Irvine wins, gets #1 Seed
Riverside wins, and locks up #3 Seed
The Hawaii and UC Santa Barbara game at the Thunderdome, is the tipping point game, which puts everything into motion.
That makes Fullerton either the 4 against Hawaii, or the 5 against UC Santa Barbara. So, breaking it down, based on that Hawaii-UCSB match-up, these would be the most likely scenarios.
IF UC SANTA BARBARA WINS
UC Irvine (with win over CSUB)
UC Santa Barbara
UC Riverside (with win over Cal Poly)
Cal State Fullerton
Hawaii
Winner of Long Beach/Davis
Loser of Long Beach/Davis
CSU Bakersfield
CSUN
Cal Poly
IF HAWAII WINS
UC Irvine (with win over CSUB)
Hawaii
UC Riverside (with win over Cal Poly)
UC Santa Barbara
Cal State Fullerton
Winner of Long Beach/Davis
Loser of Long Beach/Davis
CSU Bakersfield
CSUN
Cal Poly
Enjoy the games, see you in Henderson!