CSUN University News Clippings

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Cal State Northridge was an overwhelming preseason pick to win the Big West Conference men’s basketball championship.

The Matadors collected 14 first-place votes and 173 points in voting of 20 reporters Wednesday at the conference’s annual media day. They also got eight of nine first place votes and 64 points in the coaches’ poll.

Northridge returns three starters from last year, when the Matadors went 12-4 in conference action to finish in a three-way tie for first and 20-10 overall.

UC Santa Barbara was picked to finish second, Pacific was tabbed third, and Cal State Fullerton fourth in both polls. Long Beach State was fifth in the media vote and UC Davis fifth in voting by the coaches. UCSB won a school-record 23 games last year, sharing the conference championship with Northridge and Fullerton.

Tremaine Townsend and Deon Tresvant of Northridge were selected to the preseason all-conference team. Others picked were Donovan Morris of Long Beach State, Josh Akognon of Cal State Fullerton, Anthony Brown of Pacific and Chris Devine of UC Santa Barbara. Morris was the only player picked who was a first-team all-conference performer last season.

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