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Big West Tournament Central

Big West Quarterfinals
UC Irvine (16-8) vs. Cal Poly (4-19)
Thursday, March 11 | 5 p.m. PT
Michelob Ultra Arena | Las Vegas, Nevada
KUCI Radio | Live Stats | Watch –ESPN3

Big West Semifinals
Friday, Mar. 12 | 9:00 p.m.
Michelob Ultra Arena – Las Vegas, Nevada
Live Stats | Radio (KUCI) | TV – ESPNU

Big West Final
Saturday, Mar. 13 |8:30 p.m.
Michelob Ultra Arena – Las Vegas, Nevada
Live Stats | Radio (KUCI) | TV – ESPN2

Game Notes

OPENING TIPS
> The Anteaters enter the Big West Tournament with a 16-8 overall record
> UCI enters the tournament as the reigning champions and has a chance to repeat as BWT title winners for the first time in program history.  The Anteaters won the regular season in 2019-20 but did not get a chance to defend their title due to the COVID-19 pandemic. UCI seeks to become the first program since UCSB in 2010 and 2011 to win back-to-back titles
> In 2019, UCI won the BWT by 28 points, the largest margin of victory in Big West Tournament championship game history with a 92-64 victory over Cal State Fullerton
> UCI has reached the Big West Tournament finals eight times, including five of the last seven seasons
> The 'Eaters enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2016 and seventh time in program history
> The Anteaters will look to advance to their second-straight and third overall NCAA Tournament. In 2019, the 13^th-seeded Anteaters made history winning their first ever NCAA Tournament game after upsetting fourth-seeded Kansas state, 70-64
> UCI finished 10-4 in the Big West, the ninth-straight season with double-digit conference wins. The Anteaters are riding a season-tying four game win streak into Las Vegas
> The 'Eaters top the conference in rebounds per game (40.33), field goal percentage defense (.388) and blocked shots per game (3,9) and are second in steals per game (7.7), scoring defense (63.4) and rebound margin (8.2)
> Collin Welp is the only Big West player ranking top 10 in scoring (6^th, 14.8 ppg) and rebounding (1st, 7.7 rpg)
> UCI has outrebounded 18-of-24 opponents and has a +8.2 rebound margin through 22 games. The 'Eaters rank 14^th in the nation in rebound margin and 20^th in rebounds per game (40.33)
> The 2020-21 Anteaters have the second youngest team (Navy is first with 19 underclassman) in the NCAA with 13 underclassman and just two upperclassman. UCI is also tied with Auburn for the least number of upperclassman on the roster (2).
> Since 2012-13, UCI is 112-7 when holding opponents to 60 points or less, including 10-1 this season

With a win Thursday … UCI would advance to the BWT semifinals for the ninth-straight year … win nine-straight against Cal Poly … Win five-straight games, the longest streak of the year … Stay undefeated in March

CAREER MILESTONES
> Collin Welp became the 31^st Anteater to reach 1,000 career points at CS Fullerton (2/20). The junior currently sits at 1098 points, 28^th all-time. He had a season-high 29 points vs. UC San Diego (Feb. 26)
> Welp became the 25^th Anteater to notch 500 career rebounds against UCSD (Feb. 26). He now has 531 boards on his career. He leads the Big West in rebounds per game (7.7) and notched a career-high 19 rebounds at LMU earlier this season
> Brad Greene became the 15^th Anteater in history to reach 600 career rebounds against CSU Bakersfield. He now sits at 670 career boards which puts him at 11th all-time. Greene has 776 career points and this season he is averaging 9.6 points per game. He had a career-high 20 points in UCI's season-opener against Pepperdine
> On Feb. 27, 2021, Head coach Russell Turner move into fifth place all-time on the Big West's career wins list with 223, surpassing UCSB's Jerry Pimm for the fifth spot. This season, he surpassed LBSU's Dan Monson (216). Turner is one of seven BW head coaches with 200 or more wins

IMMEDIATE IMPACT
> Freshman Dawson Baker has finished in double-digit scoring 12-out-of-22 games he has played in. He is second on the team averaging 10.8 ppg and set a career-high 23 points at CSU Fullerton (Feb. 19) and has led the 'Eaters in scoring on five occasions

THE WELP EFFECT
> Welp has scored in double-digits in 21-out-of-24 games. Welp is first on the team averaging 14.8 ppg overall and 15.75 in BWC games. In his last five games, Welp has scored in double-figures in 10 of the last 11 games. He leads the Big West with six double-doubles this season

BLOCKED BY BRAD
> Senior Brad Greene leads the 'Eaters and the Big West in blocked shots per game, 1.730, which also ranks 55^th nationally
> Greene swatted a career-high nine blocks at CS Fullerton (Feb. 20) which tied the third most in a single-game in Big West history. He tied former Anteater Mamadou Ndiaye
> He has 44 total blocks this season which ranks 45^th nationally

PROTECTING THE BOARDS
> Collin Welp and Brad Greene rank No. 1 and 3 in rebounding in the conference, respectively. Welp leads the Big West with 7.7 rebounds per game while Greene is second at 7.5 rpg. Welp's 184 total rebounds ranks 88^th nationally

'EATERS PICK UP BIG WEST CONFERENCE AWARDS
> UCI stacked up four conference awards for the 2020-21 season
> Brad Greene was named the Big West's Defensive Player of the Year. He continues the tradition of UCI big men recognized for this award as this marks the seventh time in the last nine years an Anteater frontcourt player has won. The list includes Will Davis II (2013), Mamadou Ndiaye (2014 & 2016) and Jonathan Galloway (2017-19). Greene was also named on the All-Big West second team
> Collin Welp was named on the first team for the second year in a row
> Dawson Baker was named Big West Freshman of the Year. He is the first Anteater to win the award since Luke Nelson in 2014 and becomes the sixth player in program history joining Nelson, Alex Young (2013), Jerry Green (1999), Kevin Simmons (1995) and Ben McDonald (1981)

QUICK HITS
> Collin Welp is UCI's games played leader with 94-consecutive appearances
> Welp has led UCI in scoring a team-high 13 times
> UCI is 1-1 in televised games this season
> UCI is 12-2 when leading at halftime
> UCI is 15-2 when grabbing more rebounds and 0-6 with less
> UCI has tried out four different starting lineups with Welp, Greene, Artest, Butler and Lee having the most wins at 6-2

HISTORY WITH THE MUSTANGS
> 10-seed Cal Poly won a first round game against Cal St. Fullerton, 87-82, Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals. The Mustangs have a 3-19 overall record on the year. It is the first postseason appearance for the Mustangs in three years
> UCI has won 14 of the last 15 matchups against Cal Poly, including a 2-0 sweep this season in Irvine. UCI is 38-22 all-time against the Mustangs
> The Anteaters are 2-2 against the Mustangs at the Big West Tournament. The two teams last met March 10, 2016 with UCI securing an 84-64 quarterfinal victory
> Alimamy Koroma leads CP with 13.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 1.0 bpg
> John Smith is in his second season at the helm