News Release

Pacific Men's Basketball - Tigers Picked To Finish Fifth In Big West By Media

(October 30, 2009) -

The Pacific men's basketball team is picked to finish fifth in the Big West Conference in the 2009-10 preseason media poll released Thursday by the league.

Long Beach State was picked to win the league with 209 points and 17 first place votes from the 24 person panel. UC Santa Barbara is picked to finish second and tallied six first place votes. The Tigers ended up with 126 points and the lone remaining first place vote.

"I think this year the teams in the Big West are going to really improve," said 22nd year head coach Bob Thomason. "I think there are six teams that could win the league."

The Tigers open the 2009-10 exhibition season with a home game against Cal State Monterey Bay this Sunday at 5:00 p.m. in the Spanos Center.

Media Poll Results

1.    Long Beach State (17)     209
2.    UC Santa Barbara (6)      178
3.    Cal State Northridge        130
4.    UC Riverside                    127
5.    Pacific (1)                         126
6.    UC Davis                          114
7.    Cal State Fullerton             90
8.    UC Irvine                            76
9.    Cal Poly                              30

( ) First-place votes

Preseason Media All-Conference Team

Name                      School    Position    Year    Hometown
Larry Anderson       Long Beach State    Guard    Sophomore    Long Beach, Calif.
Kyle Austin             UC Riverside    Forward    Junior    Pasadena, Calif.
Joe Harden            UC Davis    Guard    Junior    Acampo, Calif.
Orlando Johnson    UC Santa Barbara    Guard    Sophomore    Seaside, Calif.
Mark Payne            UC Davis    Guard    Junior    Stockton, Calif.
Eric Wise              UC Irvine    Forward    Sophomore    Riverside, Calif.