In a way, Saturday’s men’s and women’s basketball games against Cal Poly were representative of how their seasons have gone.
For the men, a close win was marked by inconsistency in the first half followed by a strong start and just good enough of a finish in the second half. For the women, a closely contested game with the team to beat in the Big West Conference ultimately resulted in an overtime loss.
On the men’s side, winter break’s results confirmed what we already knew: the team would struggle in nonconference play but be better prepared for conference because of it.
The 49ers (6-12, 2-2 Big West) may not be the best — or even the second best — team in the Big West right now, but after failing to make the NCAA tournament after winning the regular season conference championship for the third time in four years last season, the emphasis isn’t on being the best right now.
What matters are those three days in March, when eight of the nine Big West teams meet to determine who can win three games in a row. If Saturday’s win over Cal Poly paints a picture of the remainder of the season as well, it shows a future in which the 49ers emerge as the conference tournament champions despite not being favored to win.
The odds have certainly swung in LBSU’s favor since it introduced Tyler Lamb and Travis Hammonds, a pair of guards who have bolstered the 49er offense considerably.
Lamb’s impact has been well-documented since he became eligible in mid-December. The UCLA transfer has scored double-digit point totals in seven of eight games and averaged 16.9 points per game.
Hammonds’ introduction has been a bit more incredible. A freshman who enrolled at LBSU just a few weeks ago, Hammonds provided an immediate spark off the bench despite lacking the months of practice afforded to the rest of the team. The guard has hit a snag lately, though, scoring just two points during the 49ers’ central coast road trip this weekend.
On the women’s side, close results have defined conference play thus far. The 49ers (10-8, 2-2 Big West) have gone into overtime twice in their four Big West games. They also lost a game at UC Davis by three.
The conference leaders typically emerge by defending their home court and picking up as many road wins as possible. The 49ers will have a chance to prove themselves on the road soon: five of their next seven games will be in their opponents’ buildings.
Those games will have a substantial impact on the 49ers’ seeding in the Big West tournament, which will carry the same focus for the women as it does with the men.
The 49ers haven’t been to the NCAA tournament since 1992, and the current squad looks to have as good a chance as any Big West underdog to make a run at the big dance.
There is still a lot of basketball to be played before March, but both the men’s and women’s teams have the pieces to be contenders come conference tournament time. At this point in the season, that’s all anyone can ask for.