The rivalry between Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara will resume on Thursday night in Mott Gym.

The two schools have been going at it since 1937.

It will be the 95th all-time meeting between the two programs. UCSB leads the all-time series 63-31.

"It means a lot to the students here. We're going to get a huge crowd there, it's a tv game and we're a half a game ahead of them in conference right now," said Cal Poly guard Matt Titchenal.

UC Davis has played 18 games this season and they are still adrift.

"We're struggling again," coach Gary Stewart. "We're missing some defensive assignments and our rotations aren't consistent and we're paying for that. Offensively, we don't have continuity."

The Aggies can right the ship in Big West games against UC Riverside (Thursday) and UC Irvine (Saturday).

Stewart said the ball doesn't naturally flow on offense and that players are standing around too much.

Long Beach State junior Casper Ware is one of 20 finalists for the 2011 Bob Cousy Award, which goes annually to the player selected as the best point guard in college.

Other candidates from the west are Jimmer Fredette (BYU), D.J. Gay (San Diego State), Mickey McConnell (Saint Mary's) and Isaiah Thomas (Washington).

Ware took season averages of 14.8 points, 6.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game into the 49ers' Big West Conference game against UC Davis late Wednesday.

Cal State-Northridge forward Michael Lizarraga is the only deaf player in Division I college basketball.

Lizarrage answered questions from a Seattle Times reporter via e-mail.

"I like the notoriety and want to show people that I can play without needing to hear," he wrote. "I just use my eyes."

Matadors coach Bobby Braswell recalls the visit to Gonzaga a few years ago, where Lizarraga was once again one of the first players on the court before the game.

"The fans were right on top of him and they are yelling and pointing and he's just smiling and shooting," said Braswell. "And the rest of our players are laughing at it because they know these guys are just wasting their energy trying to rattle Mike."

Lizarraga was born deaf, as was his younger sister, though no one has ever figured out why — both of his parents hear just fine.

Pacific lost 43-39 to Cal Poly on Thursday and will host defending Big West champion UC Santa Barbara on Saturday.

"Any time you get slapped in the face like we have the past couple games, it takes some energy away, and we have to fight against that," Pacific coach Bob Thomason said.

Thomason said he will turn to his seniors to help lead the Tigers, while asking his team to play harder and smarter.

"We had to look in the mirror," senior forward Terrell Smith said. "It's us taking responsibility and moving forward and we will do that. The belief in what we want to accomplish is still there."