It’s Not a Sure Thing for UCSB

Mark French knew this day was coming.

His Santa Barbara women’s basketball team has long dominated the Big West Conference, having won 10 successive regular-season championships, and goes for a ninth consecutive conference tournament title this weekend.

But the Gauchos’ success in the Big West tournament this time is not a given.

There is more parity now among the top four seeded teams -- Santa Barbara, Long Beach State, Idaho and Cal State Northridge. Long Beach and Santa Barbara each won 19 games. Idaho and Northridge, the league’s biggest surprise, won 17 games. Idaho handed Santa Barbara its two conference losses.

“We have gotten some really good coaches in the Big West, who have attracted good staffs and good players,” French said. “I do think that is what happened. The coaches and players have stayed put. That continuity has helped here at Santa Barbara, and you will see it [pay off] at other places.”

French seems to be relishing a legitimate challenge -- “In conference, our team’s competitive juices were flowing, having to bear down this season” -- and other teams want to talk about knocking off the Gauchos without the words sounding hollow.

“We have to believe we can beat Santa Barbara as a league,” said Northridge’s Tammy Holder, voted conference coach of the year after guiding the 17-10 Matadors to their first Big West berth.

“We want to look at our first game of course. But after seeing the close games teams had against Santa Barbara, and that there is more parity than we’ve had in this league before, this may be the year we can push for the [upset].”

Long Beach State (19-8) has the best chance to dethrone the Gauchos and earn the automatic NCAA tournament bid because, like Santa Barbara, the 49ers don’t play until Friday’s semifinals. Idaho (17-10) and Northridge are idle until the quarterfinals, waiting for Riverside (15-12), Utah State (14-13), Irvine (7-20) and Fullerton (8-19) to determine their opponents from first-round games that begin today at the Anaheim Convention Center.

“The biggest disadvantage is playing four games in four days,” Fullerton Coach Maryalyce Jeremiah said. “But the ones in the top four seeds belong there. I would think it would be one of the greatest highs in coaching to get to the finals with four games in four days.”

Add to that, the team that ends the Gauchos’ streak of consecutive conference tournament victories, which now totals 23.

But even if Santa Barbara has been beatable this season the Gauchos will not be an easy out, having won their last eight games.

“I do think we’re peaking at the right time,” French said.

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Schedule

Pairings for the Big West women’s basketball tournament, today-Saturday, at the Anaheim Convention Center:

TODAY’S FIRST ROUND

* No. 5 UC Riverside vs. No. 8 Cal State Fullerton, noon.

* No. 6 Utah State vs. No. 7 UC Irvine, 2:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S QUARTERFINALS

* No. 3 Idaho vs. lower-seeded winner from today, noon

* No. 4 CS Northridge vs. higher-seeded winner from today, 2:30 p.m.

FRIDAY’S SEMIFINALS

* No. 1 UC Santa Barbara vs. lower-seeded Thursday winner, noon

* No. 2 Long Beach State vs. higher-seeded Thursday winner, 2:30 p.m.

Championship game, Saturday, 1 p.m.