The college basketball world has been focused on all of the conference tournaments to take place. Not only do programs have the chance to win their respective championships, but they can also seal a bid into the NCAA Tournament.
On Saturday, some of the big matchups fans followed were SEC Tournament semifinals, the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, and the ACC Championship Game between the Duke Blue Devils and Louisville Cardinals. However, there is one game that could carry gigantic consequences for Selection Sunday.
A Big West Tournament champion will be crowned on Saturday night, as the UC San Diego Tritons take on the UC Irvine Anteaters.
UC Irvine vs. UC San Diego could shake up Selection Sunday
This is a huge and closely contested matchup. UC San Diego holds the top seed after going 18-2 in the Big West conference and 29-4 overall. Meanwhile, UC Irvine went 17-3 against in-conference opponents, and 28-5 overall.
As Jeff D. Lowe of Barstool Sports points out, the Big West could very well get two bids in the NCAA Tournament if UC Irvine defeats UC San Diego in the game.
This is the best game tomorrow on the slate, seriously. The Big West could be a two-bid league if UC Irvine wins. Two elite teams nobody wants to see next week.
— Jeff D. Lowe (@JeffDLowe) March 15, 2025
Have had the pleasure of seeing both in person a few times this year. Dream matchup on Selection Sunday Eve. https://t.co/LyYSVdHwsk
As ESPN's Joe Lunardi points out in his latest bracketology update before the 9:40 p.m. ET tipoff that UC San Diego could "shrink the at-large pool," along with Memphis and VCU if they are to lose in their respective games. So that fits with UC Irvine changing things up on Selection Sunday if they are to defeat UC San Diego.
UC San Diego is looking to make it into the Division I NCAA Tournament for the first time in their program's history. As for UC Irvine, they are looking to make it back into the Division I NCAA Tournament for the third time ever, and the first since 2019.
Lunardi lists Boise State, North Carolina, Texas, and Ohio State as his "first four out" teams, as in those who on the bubble who will just miss the cut. If they want any chance of making it into the NCAA Tournament, they have to be rooting for a UC San Diego win. If UC Irvine picks up the win, there is a chance that two Big West teams earn berths in the NCAA Tournament.