Aggie men and women seek Big West basketball gold, NCAA bid

No. 6 Aggie men open Wednesday night against No. 7 Cal Poly, No. 3 UCD women await an opponent to be determined

HENDERSON, NEVADA ... While both the UC Davis men and women qualified for their respective Big West basketball tournaments, the path to the championship won't be easy for either team.

The Big West tournament tips off here Wednesday, March 12, with the No. 6 Aggie men, 9-11, slated for an 8:30 p.m. start against No. 7 Cal Poly, 8-12.

The No. 3 Aggie women, 13-7, earned a first-round bye and will open play Thursday at 2:30 p.m. against the winner of Wednesday's game between No. 6 Long Beach State, 12-8, and No. 7 UC Riverside, 12-8.

The Big West Tournament winner for both men and women earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, with pairings announced Sunday, March 16.

All Big West tournament games will be played at the 5,567-seat Lee's Family Forum in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson.

The 11-team Big West takes only eight teams to its two season-ending tournaments.

On the men's side, Hawaii, 7-13, Long Beach State, 3-17, and Cal State Fullerton, 1-19, were left home.

Those left out on the women's side were Fullerton, 5-15, Cal State Northridge, 2-18 and Cal State Bakersfield, 2-18.

The Aggie men were cruising along with a 9-5 conference mark, but have hit a rough patch and enter the tournament saddled with a six-game losing streak.