Warrior Insider

For the second consecutive week, canceled games out-numbered completed games in the Big West Conference.

Of the 10 conference games scheduled for January 1 and 2, only four were completed. The other six were canceled due to COVID-related issues. What’s more, UC Riverside tried to schedule non-conference games with New Mexico State as a last-minute replacement, but those games were also canceled.

The University of Hawai’i was not directly affected last week, as the Rainbow Warriors had a scheduled bye. Hawai’i is 2-0, with its last game on December 19 against Hawai’i-Hilo.

The Warriors are scheduled to play road games at UC Riverside this Friday and Saturday. All at once, it will be the first conference games, first road games, and first games against NCAA Division I opposition for Hawai’i.

The tolerable news is that almost all of the other teams in the Big West have suffered canceled conference games. Only one team – UC Santa Barbara – has been able to complete all of its scheduled Big West games so far.

The Gauchos swept Cal State Fullerton last week to improve to 2-2 in the conference. No other team has completed more than two conference games.

Hawai’i is one of five teams that have yet to play a Big West game. UC Riverside also has yet to play a Big West game.

At least four more conference games will be canceled this week. CSUN is still on a “pause” due to a COVID case and will not play two games at UC San Diego this week.

UC Davis is still awaiting clearance from its Yolo County authorities to resume playing games, and has already canceled this week’s games at UC Irvine. UCD has not played since December 4 due to county restrictions.

Best game last week

Long Beach State 90, Cal State Bakersfield 89 (OT). The 49ers welcomed the new year with a thrilling overtime win at home over the Big West newcomers from Bakersfield.

CSUB scored on a putback dunk to take a 73-71 lead with 1.6 seconds remaining in regulation. On the ensuing inbounds play, Long Beach State set a screen along the baseline and CSUB player ran into it. A foul was called, and Shade Knight drained two free throws to send the game to overtime.

The 49ers jumped to an 88-82 lead late in the OT, then held off the Roadrunners in the closing seconds.

Game to watch this week

Any game that’s completed. Yes, it’s been that kind of season so far. Until the COVID issues can become a bit more controlled in Southern California, the schedule will be a weekly crapshoot.

January 1 results
UC Riverside at UC Davis, canceled
UC San Diego at Cal Poly, canceled
UC Irvine at CSUN, canceled
at Long Beach State 90, CSU Bakersfield 89 (OT)
at UC Santa Barbara 81, Cal State Fullerton 63

January 2 results
UC Riverside at UC Davis, canceled
UC San Diego at Cal Poly, canceled
UC Irvine at CSUN, canceled
*New Mexico State at UC Riverside, canceled
CSU Bakersfield 89, at Long Beach State 76
at UC Santa Barbara 65, Cal State Fullerton 61

January 8 games
CSUN at UC San Diego, canceled
UC Davis at UC Irvine, canceled
Hawai’i at UC Riverside, 4:00 p.m. PT
Long Beach State at Cal State Fullerton, 5:00 p.m. PT
Cal Poly at CSU Bakersfield, 7:00 p.m. PT

January 9 games
CSUN at UC San Diego, canceled
UC Davis at UC Irvine, canceled
Hawai’i at UC Riverside, 4:00 p.m. PT
Long Beach State at Cal State Fullerton, 5:00 p.m. PT
Cal Poly at CSU Bakersfield, 7:00 p.m. PT