Proving that preseason predictions are just that - predictions - the Long Beach State men's basketball team sits atop the Big West standings this week at 4-0 despite being picked to finish eighth in the coaches poll.  The 49ers have an opportunity to make an even louder statement Saturday when they welcome preseason favorite Cal State Northridge to the Walter Pyramid.  
   
Of course, there's a long way to go in what is expected to be a topsy-turvy conference season.  And anything can happen.  The Matadors proved that when they handed Cal State Fullerton a 26-point loss in the conference season opener for both teams on December 29.  It was the worst home defeat in the six-year Bob Burton era, and it came against a CSUN squad that had entered the game with an 0-7 road record.  The Matadors then lost at home to Pacific in their next outing.
   
Meanwhile, Cal State Fullerton started league play 0-2 for the first time since 2003-04.  The Titans then proceeded to defeat Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara, marking only the second time in 13 years that they claimed a sweep of their Central Coast foes on the road.
   
Moral of the story?  Maybe there aren't any favorites this season.
   
Which just adds to the intrigue of a matchup like Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge.  The 49ers are 6-1 at home.  They have won four straight and five of their last six contests.  They have beaten their four Big West opponents on average by 10.8 points per game.
   
On the other hand, the Matadors have won three of the last four and nine of the last 12 meetings against LBSU.  CSUN also has won four of its last six overall to rebound from a six-game losing streak.  And the Matadors seem to have found their offense, scoring 80 or more points in each of their last four wins.
   
With only one game this week, LBSU's preparations are restricted solely to CSUN.  Not so for the Matadors.  They must first travel to another tough venue at UC Riverside Wednesday.  The Highlanders are 7-0 in the Student Rec Center and have won eight straight in that facility dating back to last season.  UCR needs one more win to eclipse last season's win total of nine.  However, the Highlanders have lost eight straight meetings to the Matadors.
   
Two television matchups also dot the league schedule this week.  Pacific travels to Cal State Fullerton for an ESPN2 game Saturday at 8:00 p.m.  The Tigers and Titans were picked to finish third and fourth in the preseason media and coaches polls, respectively.  CSF is 52-19 (.732) in historic Titan Gym under head coach Burton, who picked up his 100th career victory last Saturday at UC Santa Barbara.  Tiger head coach Bob Thomason is closing in on the record of 205 Big West victories held by former Long Beach State and UNLV mentor Jerry Tarkanian.  Thomason is 201-142 in Big West games.
   
UC Davis travels to UC Irvine for the FSN Prime Ticket Game of the Week on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.  The Anteaters have won two of their first three league games after a 2-10 start to the season.  The Aggies, which play at Cal State Fullerton Thursday, started league play 1-2 and need one more win to help head coach Gary Stewart achieve a personal milestone.  Stewart is one win away from career win No. 200.
   
The longtime rivalry between UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly is renewed Saturday in San Luis Obispo.  The Mustangs have won four of the last five meetings.  CP is the lone winless (0-4) team in league play.