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BIG WEST CONFERENCE

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (5-20, 3-13) at Long Beach State (8-19, 5-11), 7, Ch. 23 -- With two regular-season games remaining, Long Beach needs to win this one to strengthen its chances of grabbing the eighth and final spot for the Big West tournament. The 49ers can clinch with a victory and a loss by UC Riverside to Cal State Northridge. Sophomore point guard Kevin Houston has been the biggest spark for a Long Beach team that has won six of nine. In the last six games, Houston is averaging 11.8 points and 4.7 assists while shooting 51.9% and committing only 12 turnovers.

Cal State Northridge (16-11, 11-5) at UC Riverside (9-17, 4-12), 7, 1570 -- Northridge finds itself in another game of importance against a struggling Riverside squad trying to resuscitate its hopes for making the Big West tournament. The Matadors are in a third-place tie with Cal State Fullerton, a half-game behind Utah State for the coveted No. 2 seed that includes two byes into the semifinals. Forward Eto Onyenegecha has had a difficult season battling tendinitis in his knees, but the senior has slowly become more productive in the second half of league play. Onyenegecha tied his season high of 14 points in Monday night’s win over UC Davis. Riverside’s loss to UC Santa Barbara on Saturday was the Highlanders’ fifth Big West defeat by four points or fewer.

No. 17 Pacific (23-2, 16-0) at Cal State Fullerton (17-8, 11-5), 7 -- Fullerton is calling this game one of the biggest at Titan Gym since 1983, when they upset No. 1 and previously unbeaten Nevada Las Vegas. The Titans remain in the hunt for the league’s No. 2 seed with Northridge and Utah State. Pacific has won 19 in a row and already clinched the regular-season title. Fullerton is 9-1 at home this season and pushed the Tigers until the final minute in a 94-88 loss Dec. 30 in Stockton. Pacific will try to become the first to run the table since Utah State in 1999-2000.

UC Santa Barbara (10-15, 7-9) at UC Irvine (13-12, 6-10), 7, 88.9, 1370, 1340 -- Irvine is coming off a 38-point loss at Utah State, the worst margin of defeat for an Anteater team in eight years. Junior guard Jeff Gloger became Irvine’s all-time steals leader with 163, passing Jerry Green. Freshman guard Derek Rasp, a walk-on, has scored 15 points in each of the last two games for the Gauchos. Rasp has had to log major minutes because of Santa Barbara’s injury-riddled roster.

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-- Eric Stephens