Big West Tournament Betting Guide: Will Irvine’s Depth Be Enough?

Big West Tournament Best Bet: UC Davis (+390)

We'll roll with the second choice here, who also gets that aforementioned bye to the semifinals. The dynamic duo of Johnson and Pepper could easily take over proceedings in Henderson this week, and Johnson has had some serious success against their stout defense, scoring 19 and 20 in their pair of regular season meetings. Star power can take you a long way in March, and we're willing to be on its side here with the Aggies.

Big West Tournament Favorite: UC Irvine (-195)

Being in a mid-major league and playing on the West Coast can make it difficult to be noticed in the national spotlight at times. UC Irvine has dominated the Big West throughout the regular season, reaching a 17-3 record in conference play and achieving the league's top seed. As is the emphasis with all of head coach Russell Turner's teams, the Anteaters rely on elite depth to keep players fresh. It also helps them clock in the lowest two-foul participation rate in the country, assuring that foul trouble is never a concern. There's a luxury to how Turner handles his rotations, and it's working wonders this season as UC Irvine sits in pole position to claim the league's auto bid.

Big West Tournament Challenger: UC Davis (+390)

The Aggies boast one of the top backcourt duos in the country in Ty Johnson and Elijah Pepper. The pair combine for over 38 points per game and help keep this offense afloat while the defense remains their calling card. A large part of that defensive success can be attributed to this team's chemistry. Head coach Jim Les deserves some credit for keeping this bunch together and returning 76.2 percent of the team's minutes from a year ago, good for the fourth-most in the nation. This team has given UC Irvine fits as well. After falling on the road in overtime in early January, they avenged the defeat with a narrow 54-52 home triumph over the Anteaters.

Big West Tournament Dark Horse: UC Santa Barbara (+2500)

The name to know here is Ajay Mitchell, the 2022-23 Big West Player of the Year. Mitchell is flirting with a 50/40/90 season in 2023-24 with 51/39/85 shooting splits while also scoring with volume at 19.4 points per game. He is the straw that stirs the drink for this Gauchos team and can take over games with his scoring prowess. Look no further than the win over Long Beach State just six days ago, where Mitchell went for 37 points as Santa Barbara snuck by the Beach in a 76-74 win. He is really the only reason UCSB has any shot at making a run, especially since they will be forced to win four games in four days in order to cut down the nets.

Big West Tournament Best Bet: UC Davis (+390)

We'll roll with the second choice here, who also gets that aforementioned bye to the semifinals. The dynamic duo of Johnson and Pepper could easily take over proceedings in Henderson this week, and Johnson has had some serious success against their stout defense, scoring 19 and 20 in their pair of regular season meetings. Star power can take you a long way in March, and we're willing to be on its side here with the Aggies.