Men's basketball conference play has arrived as preseason favorite Cal State Northridge travels to Cal State Fullerton Monday.  Six more league games take place over the weekend as the Big West rings in 2009.  
   
The Matadors and Titans represented two-thirds of last season's Big West regular season tri-championship - UC Santa Barbara was the other - and both teams are prime contenders for the 2008-09 crown.  Cal State Northridge was the choice of the coaches and media in the preseason poll, while Cal State Fullerton finished fourth among both groups.
   
CSF and CSUN split last year's regular season series en route to 12-4 conference records.  However, the Titans won the most important matchup with an 83-68 victory in the Big West Tournament semifinals.  CSF went on to capture the tournament championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years.    
   
Cal State Fullerton is undefeated in Titan Gym this season with a 4-0 record.  In contrast, Cal State Northridge is 0-7 on the road.  Coincidentally, the last road win for the Matadors occurred last season on Feb. 28, 2008, an 82-74 triumph at Titan Gym.
   
Titan head coach Bob Burton enters the week needing two wins for career No. 100.  He is 98-66 (.598) in his sixth season.  A win over CSUN would set up an opportunity for that milestone victory on Saturday at UC Irvine.  The Anteaters are searching for their first home win this season after an 0-4 start.
   
The Matadors continue a tough opening to the Big West schedule when they return home to battle Pacific on Friday.  CSUN has collected all three of its wins on the home court.  The Tigers were picked to finish third in both preseason polls.
   
The surprise team in the Big West might be UC Riverside.  Picked to finish last in both preseason polls, the Highlanders own the best non-conference record of any Big West team at 7-4.  UCR is just two victories shy of equalling last season's win total.
   
In addition, the Highlanders are further buoyed by getting to play on the home court.  UCR is 5-0 at the Student Rec Center.  The Highlanders hope to extend that mark in their league opener versus Cal Poly Friday followed by UC Santa Barbara Sunday.
   
A handful of schools engage in non-conference matchups prior to beginning the league fray.  UCSB hosts Ball State and Long Beach State travels to Oregon on Monday.  The two teams then meet on Friday in Long Beach.  Six of the last seven meetings between the two rivals at the Walter Pyramid have been decided by three or less points.
   
UC Davis is the only school to not open Big West play this week.  The Aggies host Dartmouth in a non-conference game Tuesday and play their league opener at Cal State Northridge next Monday.