Coach: Bob Thomason, 17th season, 259-209; 20th overall, 311-236

Players to watch: Christian Maraker, soph., f; Guillaume Yango, sr., f; Tyler Newton, jr., f/c; David Doubley, sr., g; Jasko Korajkic, sr., f

--
Outlook: The Tigers are loaded with size and experience returning from last year's team that won a first-round NCAA game. Seven seniors and four of the top five scorers are back. The front line of Christian Maraker, Guillaume Yango and Tyler Newton is impressive. David Doubley will handle the point. The question mark is replacing guard Miah Davis, the conference player of the year who routinely made clutch shots a year ago.

Coach: Stew Morrill, 7th season, 143-46; 19th overall, 361-184

Players to watch: Spencer Nelson, sr., f; Nate Harris, jr., f; Jason Williams, sr., f; David Pak, jr., g; Jaycee Carroll, fr., g

--
Outlook: So much like Pacific it's scary. The Aggies have a formidable front court with All-Big West honorees Spencer Nelson and Nate Harris and Brazilian newcomer Cass Matheus, a 6-10 center. Six seniors return for a program built on tough defense and rebounding. Aggies are fully capable of conference title and 20-plus wins (for the sixth straight season) if adequate replacements can be found for last year's starting guards Mark Brown and Cardell Butler.

Coach: Bobby Braswell, 9th season, 125-110; 9th overall

Players to watch: Ian Boylan, sr., g/f; Eto Onyenegecha, sr., f; Joseph Frazier, sr., g/f; Thomas Shewmake, soph., c; Davin White, sr., g

--
Outlook: A team nobody wanted to face at the end of last year should be even better. CSN is the only Big West team to have five starters returning. Ian Boylan is a go-to player and the Matadors have a nice inside-outside mix. Depth is improving, with additions such as Santa Clara transfer Bakari Altheimer, which will only aid CSN's preference for pressing and running the court. Matadors are legitimate Big West contenders, especially if they can survive first seven games away from home court.

Coach: Leonard Perry, 4th season, 36-50; 4th overall

Players to watch: Dandrick Jones, sr., g/f; Tanoris Shepard, sr., g; Jerod Haynes, fr., g; Lionel Davis, sr., f/c; Armend Kahrimanovic, sr., f

--
Outlook: Vandals have made steady progress under Perry, capped by their first Big West Tournament victory last season. Pieces are in place to take another step forward, especially with a talented crew of guards and small forwards. Interior could be Idaho's biggest question mark. Lionel Davis is solid when he stays out of foul trouble, but Vandals need quality minutes from Mike Kale, David Radlovic and Matt Anderson. Idaho's first winning season since 1998-99 should become a reality.

Coach: Bob Williams, 7th season, 96-79; 17th overall, 285-179

Players to watch: Cameron Goettsche, jr., f; Casey Cook, sr., f; Joe See, jr., g; Josh Davis, jr., g; Cecil Brown, jr., g

--
Outlook: Gauchos could struggle early with five key players currently on the injury list. Fairly young team that will rely on forwards Casey Cooke and Cameron Goettsche. UCSB is usually in the title chase, but faded toward end of last year. It probably doesn't have enough talent to make a championship run, but UCSB should finish in the upper echelon. Look out next season.

Coach: Bob Burton, 2nd season, 11-17; 2nd overall

Players to watch: Ralphy Holmes, sr., f; Yaphett King, sr., f; Hardy Asprilla, sr. f; Bobby Brown, soph., g; Jermaine Harper, jr., g

--
Outlook: Titans lost Pape Sow to the NBA, but this might be a team that can move into the upper half of conference. Ten Titans are juniors or seniors. Forward Ralphy Holmes, who sat out last year for disciplinary reasons, averaged 17.4 points and 6.2 rebounds in 2002-03. Bobby Brown had a stellar freshman season and three Division I transfers (Jermaine Harper, Virginia; Lloyd Walls, Wright State; Jamaal Brown, Western Kentucky) make CSF a potentially dangerous outfit.

Coach: Larry Reynolds, 3rd season, 11-42; 8th overall, 121-78 overall

Players to watch: Anthony Coleman, sr., f; Cody Pearson, sr., f; Louis Darby, soph., g; Kevin Houston, soph., g; Onye Ibekwe, soph., f

--
Outlook: Roster has been remade and there appears to be a nice collection of talent. Kevin Houston and Louis Darby are coming off creditable freshmen seasons. Anthony Coleman, injured most of last season, could be a serious factor inside if he stays healthy. Shawn Hawkins, a JC transfer, is grandson of the legendary Connie Hawkins. Jibril Hodges is the only returning starter, but 49ers might push for top five if newcomers settle in.

Coach: Pat Douglass, 8th season, 106-94; 24th overall, 482-212

Players to watch: Jeff Gloger, jr., g; Greg Ethington, sr., f/c; Ross Schraeder, jr., g; Nic Campbell, soph., f; Darren Fells, fr., f

--
Outlook: Anteaters tumbled into a tie for eighth last year after three consecutive 20-win seasons. Prospects aren't good for a major improvement. UCI lost its top three scorers and its roster includes just one senior. Guard Jeff Gloger and forward/center Greg Ethington are steady and Ross Schraeder is a perimeter threat, but rest of the cast is unproven.

Coach: Kevin Bromley, 5th season, 46-54; 5th overall

Players to watch: Kameron Gray, jr., g; Nick Enzweiler, sr., f; Phil Johnson, jr., c; Dawin Whiten, fr., g; Zach Thurow, fr., c

--
Outlook: Mustangs lost high-scoring duo of Varnie Dennis and Shane Schilling, but that should create a more team-oriented approach. Kameron Gray and Nick Enzweiler should pick up some of the scoring slack, but Cal Poly might need contributions from center Phil Johnson, three-year squad member Vladimir Lisinac and promising true freshmen Dawin Whiten and Lew Finnegan to earn a tournament slot (top eight).

Coach: John Masi, 26th season, 453-250; 26th overall

Players to watch: Rickey Porter, jr., g; Klaus Schille, jr., f; Vili Morton, sr., f; Larry Cunningham, fr., g; Steve Williams, jr., g

--
Outlook: Highlanders will build around Vili Morton, one of the better big men in the conference. He's not a 20-point scorer, but he's effective on the glass and has blocked 157 shots in his career. Forward Nate Carter packed up his 15.3 scoring average and transferred to Oklahoma. Rickey Porter and Klaus Schille are in their third years in the program and will be counted to make regular contributions. UCR will be hard-pressed to duplicate last year's tie for fifth.