IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Irvine men's basketball team was selected to finish on top and capture the regular season title in the media's 2019-20 Big West Preseason Poll, while senior Evan Leonard was voted to the six-member preseason all-conference team, the Big West announced Thursday.

The Anteaters garnered 258 points from the media slightly edging out UC Santa Barbara with 256 votes. UCI and UCSB equally earned 15 first place votes, marking the eighth-straight year the program has earned at least one first-place vote in the preseason poll. The 'Eaters have been picked to finish first in the poll for the third-consecutive year and sixth in the last seven seasons. UC Davis earned one first place vote, totaling 104 points for an eighth place finish.

Senior guard Evan Leonard, a two time all-conference selection, returns as UCI's leading scorer averaging 11.3 points per game. In 2018-19, he led the team in steals (48) and three-point field goal percentage (.414). Leonard also set a new school record in consecutive free throws made with 44, a streak that lasted into the NCAA Tournament. He was named to the 2019 Big West All-Tournament Team and finished with 26 starts, averaging 24.2 minutes per game.

UC Santa Barbara and CSUN each had two players represented on the all-conference team while UCI and UC Riverside had one piece.

The Anteaters return four starters and nine letterwinners from last year's championship squad that finished with a school record 31 wins and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament second round. UCI is coming off its seventh-straight winning season and Big West regular season and tournament titles. The 'Eaters return three all-conference players, two all-tournament players and welcome seven talented freshman to the mix.

UCI hosts an exhibition game against UC San Diego Friday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. before opening the regular season on the road at San Diego Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.

Big West Preseason Media Poll
1. UC Irvine (15 first-place votes) – 258
2. UC Santa Barbara (15) – 256
3. CSUN – 202
4. Hawai'i – 155
5. Cal State Fullerton – 152
6. Long Beach State – 118
7. UC Riverside – 107
8. UC Davis (1) – 104
9. Cal Poly – 43

Preseason Media All-Conference Team
Lamine Diane, CSUN
Terrell Gomez, CSUN
Max Heidegger, UC Santa Barbara
Evan Leonard, UC Irvine
Dikymbe Martin, UC Riverside
Amadou Sow, UC Santa Barbara