r/BigWest

I meant to post this here back in March but here is my tracker for comings and goings in Big West Hoops:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQaG9bThedrX7bD3SfKzN7sVBK_4-UViCgMZs7uALaClbeK0B1p6DlT156SzqhgZ8d5jMZIaA9WZQnZ/pubhtml

We've known for a while that realignment was coming. But now that Hawai'i has played its last Big West game and UC Davis is also heading to the Mountain West on July 1st, with UCSD and UCSB leaving for the WCC in 2027, it feels real. On the flip side, Utah Valley and Cal Baptist are coming in. My question isn't about the realignment itself. It's about the on-court future. After the exits, which remaining or incoming program is best positioned to be the new standard-bearer for the league? Does UC Irvine become the perennial favorite by default? Can Cal State Northridge build on a solid 2025-26 season? Or does a newcomer like Utah Valley shake things up immediately? Let's map out the next five years. Who's the team to beat?

Hawaii is gone. UC Davis is gone. UC San Diego is leaving after this year. Meanwhile, Cal Baptist, Utah Valley, and Sacramento State are coming in. By 2027, the Big West will look noticeably different from the conference we had in 2023.

The conference has historically been defined by California public universities, mostly UC and Cal State institutions, with Hawaii as the geographic outlier that gave it a distinctive character. Now we’re seeing more private schools and teams from Utah and Sacramento. The identity of the conference feels like it’s shifting.

In five years, what does a healthy Big West look like to you? Is it a conference that stabilizes around a clear basketball identity with Sacramento State and CSUN competing at a high level? Is it a baseball conference that produces consistent NCAA Tournament teams? Or is there a sport where you think the Big West can genuinely compete on a national level?

>Sacramento State coach Mike Bibby has landed Cal State Northridge transfer Larry Hughes Jr., his agent @Ryanmurphhoop told @TheFieldOf68.

>Hughes, who played his first three seasons at Saint Louis, averaged 17.7 points last season and shot 40 percent from 3. He only played 7 games as a junior due to injury, so he will likely get another year.

https://x.com/GoodmanHoops/status/2052911166821671082

So I was just scrolling through portal updates and apparently UC Irvine landed Olivier Rioux-yes, the 7-foot-9 guy from Florida. He barely played there, but come on. In the Big West? Just having him stand in the paint is going to make everyone think twice. Kind of funny actually-Irvine had a 7-foot-6 guy years ago (Mamadou Ndiaye), so this feels like they're doing a throwback. On the tougher side, Cal Poly's losing Hamad Mousa. That one hurts. He was First-Team All-Big West, dropped 20 a night, and now Michigan's calling. Also saw Irvine lost Jurian Dixon to Virginia, so that Rioux pickup makes more sense now. Anyone else tracking this league, or are we all just waiting for the portal chaos to end?

Being in the Big West means competing with fewer resources than Power conference schools. Budgets, facilities, NIL opportunities, and recruiting are all more challenging.

Despite that, some programs consistently punch above their weight. It takes smart management and good coaching to succeed in this environment. How do you think Big West schools can best overcome these limitations?

Follow through your favorite leagues here: https://www.reddit.com/live/1gvoj5bdj405w

The Big West has some really solid rivalries, especially between the UC and Cal State schools. Long Beach State vs UC Irvine is usually one of the most competitive and physical matchups, and Hawaii’s games against mainland teams tend to have extra intensity.

Some of these rivalries are rooted in geography and history, while others have grown from recent battles on the court or field. What’s your favorite Big West rivalry, and why does it stand out to you?

This has been helping me stay in the loop on current games: https://www.reddit.com/live/1gvoj5bdj405w?