Nov. 16, 2010
Complete Game Notes 
Live Video
Live Audio
UC DAVIS MEN'S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES
UC Davis (0-3, 0-0)
vs.
UC Santa Cruz (0-1)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
7 p.m. (PST) - Davis, Calif.
The Pavilion (7,100)
KFSG (1690 AM)
OPENING TIPS
- UC Davis went 0-3 at the Athletes in Action Classic, hosted by the University of Portland in Portland, Ore. The Aggies dropped contests vs. Florida Atlantic, Portland and Wisc.-Milwaukee.
- Each loss for UC Davis had a similar story, with a halftime deficit and a comeback that was too little too late. In all three games, the Aggies trailed at halftime before outscoring or scoring the same amount as their opponent in the second half.
- The three teams that UC Davis lost to at the Athletes in Action Classic combined for 55 wins last season.
- The 0-3 start is the first time the Aggies have been winless in three games since the 2006-07 season, when UC Davis started 0-6. In the 06-07 season, UC Davis lost all six games on the road before winning their home opener vs. Jackson State.
- The Banana Slugs are independent members of Division III. UC Davis and Santa Clara are to only Division I members on the Banana Slugs' regular season schedule.
- Mark Payne recorded his 1000th career point vs. Wisc.-Milwaukee, becoming the 17th player in school history to reach the milestone.
- Joe Harden had his first double-double of the season, pouring in 21 points and 11 boards vs. Milwaukee.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Wednesday's game will mark the 16th time UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz have met, with the Aggies holding a 14-1 advantage in the all-time series. UC Davis took an 88-59 win over the Banana Slugs last season, cruising to a comfortable win in the home opener at the Pavilion.
HEAD COACHES
Gary Stewart is in his 18th year as a head coach and his 8th season with the Aggies. He currently owns a 220-248 overall record and a 78-129 mark on the sidelines with UC Davis. Stewart was with the Aggies during all four years of the transition to Division I and is set to lead the program into their fourth year as a D1 member.
Gordon Johnson holds a 47-136 overall record as a head coach. Jeter has been a head coach for seven full seasons, all of which have been with the Banana Slugs. Coach Johnson came to UC Santa Cruz after 22 years of successful high school coaching at St. Joseph Notre Dame H.S. in Alameda, Calif. The Banana Slugs have won 11 games under Johnson in the past two seasons, competing in an independent Division III schedule.
UC SANTA CRUZ REPORT
The Banana Slugs dropped their season opener vs. William Jessup, a NAIA school that competes in the California Pacific Conference. UC Santa Cruz fell 73-70 in overtime at home. Ryan Matsuoka led all scorers with 22 points on 8 or 17 shooting. Last season the Banana Slugs finished with an 11-16 overall record, including a 6-10 mark vs. Division III opponents.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Wednesday's contest will air on KFSG (1690 AM) with Scott Marsh on the call. Bill Herenda will also provide analysis for the game. The broadcast will be simulcast on ucdavisaggies.com through Game Central by Stretch Internet and streamed live on Big West TV. Live stat are available via ucdavisaggies.com, with a tip time set for 7 p.m. PT.
LAST TIME OUT
The Aggies went 0-3 at the Athletes in Action Classic, dropping contests vs. Florida Atlantic, Portland and Wisc.-Milwaukee. The competition at the tourney proved to be some of the best in the mid-major ranks, with Portland ranked 17th in the latest Mid-Major Top 25 collegeinsider.com poll. The most recent game for the Aggies was a 73-62 defeat to the Panthers of Milwaukee. For the third consecutive game, the Aggies fell victim to an early double-digit deficit and couldn't take back the lead. UC Davis had the Panther advantage down to six multiple times in the second half, but Milwaukee was able to hit some late free throws to secure the win. Joe Harden led all scorers with 21 points, while adding 11 boards for a double-double.
1000 POINT WATCH
Seniors Joe Harden and Mark Payne entered the season just shy of the 1000-point plateau, with each player starting the year with over 900 points. Payne reached the career milestone on Nov. 14 vs. Wisc.-Milwaukee, scoring 17 points in the game and becoming the 17th member of the UC Davis 1000-point club. Harden should join Payne soon, with just 53 points needed to reach 1000. The progress of Harden and the overall career standing of Payne will be monitored on a game-by-game basis.
Mark Payne -1008 career points - Ranks 17th overall in UC Davis career scoring
Joe Harden - 947 career points
NO PAYNE NO GAIN
Despite missing eight games due to injury last season, senior guard Mark Payne was the Big West active career leader in three separate categories entering the 2010-11 season, including points (964), assists (352) and steals (149).
In the UC Davis record books, Payne is also in the top ten in career assists and steals and climbing the leader board. His progress will be monitored on a game-by-game basis.
CAREER ASSISTS
1. Angelo Rivers, 1982-86 467
2. Dante Ross, 1996-99 380
3. Mark Payne, 2007-Present 359
CAREER STEALS
1. Dante Ross, 1996-99 186
2. Angelo Rivers, 1983-86 180
3. Chris Familetti, 1988-89, '90-92 172
4. Mark Payne, 2007-Present 151
HARDEN'S PRESEASON PLAUDIT
Senior guard Joe Harden was named to the Big West Preseason All-Conference Team, voted on by a panel of media members. Harden has been selected to the Big West All-Conference Second Team the past two seasons. Last season, he was also named to the 2010 Big West All Tournament Team and he was named the 2009-10 Best Hustle Player in the Big West. Entering the 2010-11 season, Harden was third in active career leaders in points (908) and rebounds (445).
WINNING BREEDS WINNING
There has been a common theme for the UC Davis men's basketball team over the past three years: consistent improvement.
2007-08 season: nine wins, two conference wins. 2008-09 season: 13 wins, seven conference wins. 2009-10 season: 14 wins, eight conference wins.
Coach Stewart is hoping that the Aggies will look to improve on that mark again this season.
"The theme is return and advance," said Stewart. "We want to get to the upper echelon of the conference, return to the conference tournament and advance farther than we did last year. The charge again is to continue to move the program forward, trying to build on some of the successes that we had last year. We feel like if we can remain healthy, we have a golden opportunity to do that."
COACH Gary Stewart ON TWITTER
This season we will keep up with head coach Gary Stewart on Twitter, "retweeting" his latest tweets, starting with the most recent ones.
"I am fired up! Go Ags!"
15 Oct
"First day of "official" basketball practice! We are two hours away from taking the floor........."
15 Oct
"Coach Gross is an incredible teacher/coach. Without question, she will continue the long line of outstanding wbb coaches to lead the Ags!"
8 Oct
"and.......Congratulations to Jennifer Gross, who was named the Head Women's Basketball Coach for the 2011-12 season and beyond!"
8 Oct
"I am looking forward to seeing him coach one last season at the helm of the Ags!"
8 Oct
"On behalf of the entire men's basketball program at UC Davis, we wish him a retirement filled with joy and great health."
8 Oct
"UC Davis Women's Basketball Coach, Sandy Simpson, announces his retirement. Simple put, he is an outstanding coach and a wonderful person."
8 Oct
"First day of school, 2010-11. Go Ags!"
23 Sep
NOTABLE NON-CONFERENCE GAMES
Cal and perennial national power UCLA highlight a schedule that features three non-conference teams that reached the 20-win plateau. Pac-10 regular-season champion Cal, which beat Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to eventual national champion Duke in the second, finished 24-11. The Bears will host the Aggies on Dec. 1 at Haas Pavilion as the teams meet for the first time since the 1986-87 season. The Aggies and Bruins will play on Dec. 13 at legendary Pauley Pavilion, facing each other for the second time in the past four seasons. Cal joins Wisc.-Milwaukee (20-14) and Portland (21-11) as 20-game winners on the Aggies' non-conference schedule.
TELEVISED GAMES
UC Davis has a guarantee of three televised games this season, with the possibility of more to come. Currently, the Aggies will make appearances in games vs. UCLA, Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara. In the Dec. 13 matchup with the Bruins, the game will be televised on Prime Ticket. ESPNU will cover the Long Beach State game on Jan. 12, while the Feb. 2 tilt with UC Santa Barbara will also be on Prime Ticket.
