UCI Coach Russell Turner is scheduled to lead his team into the conference opener on Sunday, Dec. 27 against UC Santa Barbara. (File photo: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)
UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will be playing revised 2020-2021 Big West Conference schedules in the plan released Wednesday by league officials.
The schedules are in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which forced cancellation of last season’s Big West Conference post-season tournaments. The schedules are subject to approval by state and local health officials, conference officials indicated.
The 2021 Big West Basketball Tournament is scheduled to run from Wednesday, March 10 to Saturday, March 13 2021 at Honda Center in Anaheim, officials said. Eight men’s and eight women’s teams will compete over the four days.
Under the plan released Wednesday, all 11 Big West teams will play 20 conference games under a modified format aimed to reduce travel and emphasize the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches and staff.
No fans will be allowed initially at games but the policy could be revisited later, officials said.
Under the plan, the traditional home-and-home round-robin schedule has been altered so that teams will play the same opponent on consecutive days at one site, with the majority of games taking place on Friday and Saturday over 11 weeks. There will be one bye built in for each team.
Officials added that games will not be rescheduled should a team need to quarantine during the season and tie-breaking procedures shall be utilized at the end of the regular-season.
The men’s and women’s teams will have the same opponents each night, but the location for home sites will be different.
“The Big West Board of Directors did due diligence in examining all of the factors involved in a safe and responsible return to competition, with basketball being the pilot moving forward,” said Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly.
“The Big West Conference understands the need for consistent and multi-layered levels of testing protocols that put safety at the forefront for our member institutions. Cognizant of state and county restrictions, and the NCAA Core Principles of Resocialization of Collegiate Basketball, we feel we have a plan in place that will adhere to those mandates.
“We are also thankful for the guidance and feedback of Dr. Jim Borchers from the U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health during this planning process.”
Tie-breaking and game management protocols will be announced in the coming weeks, as will a broadcast schedule.
Big West Conference teams will be allowed to open their non-conference seasons on Wednesday, Nov. 25, which has been determined by the NCAA as the official start date for the 2020-21 season, Big West officials noted.
2020-21 BIG WEST MEN’S SCHEDULE
Sunday, December 27
Cal Poly at Hawaii, CSUN at Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State at UC Riverside, UC Davis at CSU Bakersfield, UC Santa Barbara at UC Irvine
Monday, December 28
Cal Poly at Hawaii, CSUN at Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State at UC Riverside, UC Davis at CSU Bakersfield, UC Santa Barbara at UC Irvine
Friday, January 1
CSU Bakersfield at Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton at UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine at CSUN, UC Riverside at UC Davis, UC San Diego at Cal Poly
Saturday, January 2
CSU Bakersfield at Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton at UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine at CSUN, UC Riverside at UC Davis, UC San Diego at Cal Poly
Friday, January 8
Cal Poly at CSU Bakersfield, CSUN at UC San Diego, Long Beach State at Cal State Fullerton, UC Davis at UC Irvine, Hawaii at UC Riverside
Saturday, January 9
Cal Poly at CSU Bakersfield, CSUN at UC San Diego, Long Beach State at Cal State Fullerton, UC Davis at UC Irvine, Hawaii at UC Riverside
Friday, January 15
CSU Bakersfield at Hawaii, Cal State Fullerton at UC Davis, CSUN at Long Beach State, UC Riverside at Cal Poly, UC San Diego at UC Santa Barbara
Saturday, January 16
CSU Bakersfield at Hawaii, Cal State Fullerton at UC Davis, CSUN at Long Beach State, UC Riverside at Cal Poly, UC San Diego at UC Santa Barbara
Friday, January 22
Cal Poly at UC Irvine, CSU Bakersfield at UC Riverside UC Davis at UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara at CSUN , Hawaii at Cal State Fullerton
Saturday, January 23
Cal Poly at UC Irvine, CSU Bakersfield at UC Riverside, UC Davis at UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara at CSUN, Hawaii at Cal State Fullerton
Friday, January 29
Cal State Fullerton at CSU Bakersfield, CSUN at Cal Poly, UC Irvine at Hawaii, UC San Diego at Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara at UC Davis
Saturday, January 30
Cal State Fullerton at CSU Bakersfield, CSUN at Cal Poly, UC Irvine at Hawaii, UC San Diego at Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara at UC Davis
Friday, February 5
CSU Bakersfield at UC Irvine, Long Beach State at UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis at CSUN, UC Riverside at Cal State Fullerton, Hawaii at UC San Diego
Saturday, February 6
CSU Bakersfield at UC Irvine, Long Beach State at UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis at CSUN, UC Riverside at Cal State Fullerton, Hawaii at UC San Diego
Friday, February 12
Cal State Fullerton at Cal Poly, Long Beach State at UC Davis, UC Irvine at UC Riverside, UC San Diego at CSU Bakersfield, UC Santa Barbara at Hawaii
Saturday, February 13
Cal State Fullerton at Cal Poly, Long Beach State at UC Davis, UC Irvine at UC Riverside, UC San Diego at CSU Bakersfield, UC Santa Barbara at Hawaii
Friday, February 19
Cal Poly at Long Beach State, CSU Bakersfield at UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine at Cal State Fullerton, UC Riverside at UC San Diego, Hawaii at CSUN
Saturday, February 20
Cal Poly at Long Beach State, CSU Bakersfield at UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine at Cal State Fullerton, UC Riverside at UC San Diego, Hawaii at CSUN
Friday, February 26
CSUN at CSU Bakersfield, Long Beach State at Hawaii, UC Davis at Cal Poly, UC San Diego at UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara at UC Riverside
Saturday, February 27
CSUN at CSU Bakersfield, Long Beach State at Hawaii, UC Davis at Cal Poly, UC San Diego at UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara at UC Riverside
Friday, March 5
Cal Poly at UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Fullerton at UC San Diego, UC Irvine at Long Beach State, UC Riverside at CSUN, Hawaii at UC Davis
Saturday, March 6
Cal Poly at UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Fullerton at UC San Diego, UC Irvine at Long Beach State, UC Riverside at CSUN, Hawaii at UC Davis
2020-21 BIG WEST WOMEN’S SCHEDULE
Sunday, December 27
Cal State Fullerton at CSUN, CSU Bakersfield at UC Davis, UC Irvine at UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside at Long Beach State, Hawaii at Cal Poly
Monday, December 28
Cal State Fullerton at CSUN, CSU Bakersfield at UC Davis, UC Irvine at UC Santa Barbara UC Riverside at Long Beach State, Hawaii at Cal Poly
Friday, January 1
Cal Poly at UC San Diego, CSUN at UC Irvine, Long Beach State at CSU Bakersfield, UC Davis at UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara at Cal State Fullerton
Saturday, January 2
Cal Poly at UC San Diego, CSUN at UC Irvine, Long Beach State at CSU Bakersfield, UC Davis at UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara at Cal State Fullerton
Friday, January 8
CSU Bakersfield at Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton at Long Beach State, UC Irvine at UC Davis, UC Riverside at Hawaii, UC San Diego at CSUN
Saturday, January 9
CSU Bakersfield at Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton at Long Beach State. UC Irvine at UC Davis, UC Riverside at Hawaii, UC San Diego at CSUN
Friday, January 15
Cal Poly at UC Riverside, Long Beach State at CSUN, UC Davis at Cal State Fullerton UC Santa Barbara at UC San Diego Hawaiiat CSU Bakersfield
Saturday, January 16
Cal Poly at UC Riverside, Long Beach State at CSUN, UC Davis at Cal State Fullerton UC Santa Barbara at UC San Diego Hawaii at CSU Bakersfield
Friday, January 22
Cal State Fullerton at Hawaii, CSUN at UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine at Cal Poly, UC Riverside at CSU Bakersfield, UC San Diego at UC Davis
Saturday, January 23
Cal State Fullerton at Hawaii, CSUN at UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine at Cal Poly, UC Riverside at CSU Bakersfield UC San Diego at UC Davis
Friday, January 29
Cal Poly at CSUN, CSU Bakersfield at Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State at UC San Diego, UC Davis at UC Santa Barbara, Hawaii at UC Irvine
Saturday, January 30
Cal Poly at CSUN, CSU Bakersfield at Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State at UC San Diego, UC Davis at UC Santa Barbara, Hawaii at UC Irvine
Friday, February 5
Cal State Fullerton at UC Riverside, CSUN at UC Davis,UC Irvine at CSU Bakersfield, UC San Diego at Hawaii, UC Santa Barbara at Long Beach State
Saturday, February 6
Cal State Fullerton at UC Riverside, CSUN at UC Davis, UC Irvine at CSU Bakersfield, UC San Diego at Hawaii, UC Santa Barbara at Long Beach State
Friday, February 12
Cal Poly at Cal State Fullerton, CSU Bakersfield at UC San Diego, UC Davis at Long Beach State, UC Riverside at UC Irvine, Hawaii at UC Santa Barbara
Saturday, February 13
Cal Poly at Cal State Fullerton, CSU Bakersfield at UC San Diego, UC Davis at Long Beach State, UC Riverside at UC Irvine, Hawaii at UC Santa Barbara
Friday, February 19
Cal State Fullerton at UC Irvine, CSUN at Hawaii, Long Beach State at Cal Poly, UC San Diego at UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara at CSU Bakersfield
Saturday, February 20
Cal State Fullerton at UC Irvine, CSUN at Hawaii, Long Beach State at Cal Poly, UC San Diego at UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara at CSU Bakersfield
Friday, February 26
Cal Poly at UC Davis, CSU Bakersfield at CSUN, UC Irvine at UC San Diego, UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara, Hawaii at Long Beach State
Saturday, February 27
Cal Poly at UC Davis, CSU Bakersfield at CSUN, UC Irvine at UC San Diego, UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara, Hawaii at Long Beach State
Friday, March 5
CSUN at UC Riverside, Long Beach State at UC Irvine, UC Davis at Hawaii,UC San Diego at Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara at Cal Poly
Saturday, March 6
CSUN at UC Riverside, Long Beach State at UC Irvine, UC Davis at Hawaii, UC San Diego at Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara at Cal Poly .
Game times will be announced later, conference officials said.
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