Big West Conference men's basketball championship history

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The Big West Conference holds an annual men’s basketball tournament with the winner getting an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The Big West features nine teams--Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, Hawaii, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and UC Santa Barbara.

The Big West was formed in 1969. It was known as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association from 1969 to 1988. It later became known as the Big West.

The conference began holding tournaments in 1976.

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Read below for a list of past champions.

2021: UC SANTA BARBARA

The Gauchos defeated defending champion UC Irvine, 79-63.

2020: NO CHAMPION

No champion was crowned due to the coronavirus pandemic.

2019: UC IRVINE

Max Hazzard was the MVP of the Big West tournament in 2019. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

UC Irvine won a second conference title in 2019. The Anteaters defeated Cal State Fullerton, 92-64. Max Hazzard was named tournament MVP.

2018: CAL STATE FULLERTON

Cal State Fullerton defeated UC Irvine, 71-55, in 2018. The Titans’ Kyle Allman took home tournament MVP.

2017: UC DAVIS

UC Davis defeated UC Irvine, 50-47, in 2017. Chima Moneke was named tournament MVP.

2016: HAWAII

Hawaii won its first Big West title in 2016. They defeated Long Beach State 64-60. Aaron Valdes was named tournament MVP.

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2015: UC IRVINE

UC Irvine defeated Hawaii, 67-58, in 2015. Will Davis II was named MVP.

2014: CAL POLY

Cal Poly finally won its first conference title in 2014. The Mustangs defeated Cal State Northridge, 61-59. Chris Eversley was named MVP.

2013: PACIFIC

Pacific won the Big West in 2013. They defeated UC Irvine, 64-55. Tony Gill was named MVP.

2012: LONG BEACH STATE

Long Beach State enacted revenge on Santa Barbara, 77-64, in 2012. Casper Ware was named MVP.

2011: UC SANTA BARBARA

UC Santa Barbara repeated as champs in 2011. The Gauchos defeated Long Beach State for the second straight year as well, 64-56. Orlando Johnson was named MVP for a second time.

2010: UC SANTA BARBARA

In 2010, UC Santa Barbara defeated Long Beach State 69-64. Orlando Johnson was named tournament MVP.

2009: CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE

Cal State Northridge needed overtime to beat Pacific in 2009. They won the game, 71-66. Rodrigue Mels was named tournament MVP.

2008: CAL STATE FULLERTON

Cal State Fullerton defeated UC Irvine, 81-66. Josh Akognon was named tournament MVP.

2007: LONG BEACH STATE

Long Beach State defeated Cal Poly, 94-83. Aaron Nixon was named tournament MVP.

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2006: PACIFIC

Pacific won the Big West, 78-70, over Long Beach State in 2006. The Tigers’ Johnny Gray was named tournament MVP.

2005: UTAH STATE

Utah State won the Big West in 2005. They knocked off Pacific, 65-62. Jaycee Carroll was named tournament MVP.

2004: PACIFIC

Pacific defeated Cal State Northridge, 75-73, in 2004. Ian Boylan, of Cal State Northridge, was named MVP.

2003: UTAH STATE

Utah State won its fourth title in six years in 2003. The Aggies defeated Cal Poly, 57-54. Desmond Penigar was named tournament MVP.

2002: UC SANTA BARBARA

UC Santa Barbara won its first Big West title in 2002. They defeated Utah State, 60-56. Nick Jones was named MVP.

2001: UTAH STATE

Utah State won its third title in four seasons, 50-38, over Pacific. Bernard Rock was named MVP.

2000: UTAH STATE

Utah State won the Big West in 2000. The Aggies defeated New Mexico State. The Aggies’ Shawn Daniels and Troy Rolle shared the MVP.

1999: NEW MEXICO STATE

New Mexico State defeated Boise State, 79-69. Billy Keys, of New Mexico State, was named tournament MVP.

1998: UTAH STATE

Utah State won the Big East in 1998 over Pacific, 78-63. Marcus Saxon was named MVP.

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1997: PACIFIC

Pacific defeated Nevada, 63-55. The MVP award was shared again in 1997. Pacific’s Corey Anders and Nevada’s Faron Hand were named tournament MVPs.

1996: SAN JOSE STATE

San Jose State won the Big West in 1996. They defeated Utah State, 76-75. Olivier Saint-Jean was named MVP.

1995: LONG BEACH STATE

Long Beach State defeated Nevada, 76-69, in overtime. Brian Green, of Nevada, was named MVP.

1994: NEW MEXICO STATE

New Mexico State defeated UC Irvine in 1994, 70-64. There were co-MVPs in the tournament. UC Irvine’s Chris Brown and New Mexico State’s James Dockery shared the award.

1993: LONG BEACH STATE

Long Beach State finally won its first conference title in 1993. The 49ers defeated New Mexico State, 70-62. Lucious Harris was named tournament MVP.

1992: NEW MEXICO STATE

In 1992, New Mexico State defeated Pacific 74-73. Sam Crawford was named MVP.

1991: UNLV

UNLV won a third consecutive title in 1991. The Rebels defeated Fresno State, 98-74. Larry Johnson repeated as tournament MVP.

1990: UNLV

UNLV repeated as champions in 1990. They defeated Long Beach State, 92-74. Larry Johnson was named MVP.

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1989: UNLV

UNLV won the Big West Conference upon its renaming in 1989. The Rebels defeated New Mexico State, 68-62. Stacey Augmon was named MVP.

1988: UTAH STATE

Utah State won its first conference title in 1988. The Aggies defeated UC Irvine, 86-79. Wayne Englestad, of UC Irvine, was awarded the MVP trophy.

1987: UNLV

UNLV won its fourth title in five seasons, beating San Jose State 94-69. Freddie Banks was named MVP.

1986: UNLV

UNLV repeated in 1986. The Rebels beat New Mexico State, 75-55. Anthony Jones was named tournament MVP.

1985: UNLV

UNLV won the tournament in 1985. They defeated Cal State Fullerton, 79-61. Richie Adams won a second straight MVP.

1984: FRESNO STATE

Fresno State got revenge on UNLV the following season. The Bulldogs defeated the Rebels, 51-49. Richie Adams, of UNLV, was named MVP.

1983: UNLV

UNLV needed overtime to knock off Fresno State in 1983. The Rebels won, 66-63. Sidney Green was named MVP.

1982: FRESNO STATE

Fresno State became the first multi-champion in 1982. The Bulldogs defeated Cal State Fullerton, 69-57. Donald Mason was named MVP.

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1981: FRESNO STATE

Fresno State won its first conference title in 1981 over San Jose State. They won 52-48. Sid Williams, of San Jose State, was named tournament MVP.

1980: SAN JOSE STATE

San Jose State won its first conference title in 1980. They defeated Long Beach State, 57-55. Wally Rank was named tournament MVP.

1979: PACIFIC

Pacific defeated Utah State, 82-73, in 1979. Ron Cornelius was named tournament MVP.

1978: CAL STATE FULLERTON

In 1978, Cal State Fullerton defeated Long Beach State 64-53. Greg Bunch was named MVP.

1977: LONG BEACH STATE

Long Beach State defeated San Jose State, 76-63, in 1977. No tournament MVP was selected that year.

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1976: SAN DIEGO STATE

San Diego State defeated Pacific, 76-64, in the first conference tournament in 1976. The Big West was known as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association. No tournament MVP was selected that year.