Anteaters, Titans Head in Opposite Directions

The basketball teams at UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton have very little in common as they begin Big West Conference play.

The schools at opposite ends of Orange County are also at opposite ends of the win-loss column.

The Irvine men, who open Big West play at 7:30 tonight against Pacific, are 8-2, the best start for an Anteater team in the last 20 years.

Fullerton (1-10, 0-1), which opened conference play Thursday with a 79-50 loss at Pacific, has the worst overall record among the nine Big West teams and has been described by first-year Coach Donny Daniels as “a work in progress.” The Titans’ start is the worst in school history.

The Irvine and Fullerton women’s teams have been about as successful as the men.

A look at the Big West as conference play begins:

MEN

Utah State began the season favored to repeat as champion and the Aggies (11-2, 1-0) have shown why by posting the best overall record among Big West teams.

“They have played a lot of good opponents and played them well,” Irvine Coach Pat Douglass said.

The only losses sustained by Pacific (9-3, 1-0) were on the road against Pepperdine, Fresno State and San Jose State.

“We have a good temperament. I like my team,” Pacific Coach Bob Thomason said. “Irvine is well-coached. Our game will be a good early league matchup and maybe the only advantage we have is that we are at home.”

Pacific is 7-0 at the Spanos Center this season.

Douglass likes his team’s chances, but says the Big West wild card is Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (5-5, 0-1), which got off to a slow start, but played Utah State tough Thursday night in an 82-69 loss.

“I knew Pacific was going to be good,” Douglass said. “They have a lot of big guys and depth on the front line. San Luis Obispo’s start was a surprise.”

Douglass also sees UC Santa Barbara (4-7, 1-0) and Long Beach State (7-6, 1-0), both hit by injuries and illness, as factors.

Santa Barbara rallied from a five-point deficit to beat Boise State, 81-75, Thursday. Long Beach opened Big West play a month ago with a 94-88 double-overtime victory at Idaho (4-8, 0-1). Idaho hosts Utah State tonight.

Irvine is without three players it was counting on when the season began. Guard Mike Hood, bothered by recurring knee problems, has decided to redshirt. Center Dave Korfman, a 7-2 junior, is out indefinitely after he passed out while lifting weights and hit his head on a wall. In Thursday’s practice at Pacific, Stanislav Zuzak injured his right ankle and might see only limited playing time tonight.

“Our success all depends on if we have replacements with experience,” Douglass said. “If you have to replace a senior or a junior with a freshman, it’s difficult.”

WOMEN

Irvine (9-5, 0-0), which finishes its nonconference schedule at 5 tonight at Nevada Las Vegas, has the best overall record in the conference.

The Anteaters got off to a slow start, losing three games at the Hawaii tournament. But since then they have won seven of their last nine, and take a five-game winning streak into tonight’s game.

One of those victories was a 66-48 win Dec. 16 at Northern Illinois. Northern Illinois defeated Irvine, 58-43, at the Hawaii tournament.

“That Hawaii tournament was bad for us,” Irvine Coach Mark Adams said.

Adams sees a wide-open race. In the past, UC Santa Barbara (6-5, 0-0) has dominated the Big West, with every other team falling in behind the Gauchos.

“Santa Barbara is good, but it’s going to get beat a couple of times this year,” Adams said. “Pacific, ourselves and Long Beach--any number of teams--can finish in the top two or three. There’s a lot of balance this year.

Pacific (6-5, 0-0) hosts Pepperdine tonight at 5 in a nonconference game.

Fullerton (0-12, 0-0) can only hope to do better in the women’s race. First-year Coach Barbara Ehardt is trying to find a way to get better play out of a roster that includes eight new players, including three freshmen, who were signed by former Coach Denise Curry. Curry resigned last spring after three seasons.

Long Beach State is 5-7 but has won four of its last six games. The 49ers open conference play by hosting Irvine Friday.