Game 1 - 2014-15 Season Opener

Holy Names Hawks
at
UC Davis Aggies

Sunday, Nov. 16 - 4 p.m.
The Pavilion (5,670) - Davis, Calif.

Radio: KSAC (105.5 FM) - Scott Marsh (PBP)

Free Live Stream
Internet Audio 
Live Stats  
In-game Twitter Updates

Game Notes

DAVIS, Calif. - After an injury-plagued 2013-14 season, UC Davis is back at full strength and will begin the 2014-15 campaign Sunday afternoon when the Holy Names Hawks visit the Pavilion for the second straight season.

The Aggies will also host their annual holiday food drive throughout the day; all proceeds will benefit the Yolo Food Bank. By donating a canned or non-perishable food item, UC Davis students will receive a gift card to YoloBerry with everyone else receiving an opportunity to purchase GA tickets for $8. 

Series Record: UC Davis leads 3-0
Last UC Davis Win: 80-54; 11/11/13 in Davis
Last Holy Names Win: N/A
Current Streak: UC Davis +3

LISTEN LIVE TO UC DAVIS MEN'S BASKETBALL
For the fourth season, UC Davis men's basketball games will air on KSAC (105.5 FM). Scott Marsh (@ScottMarsh1140) will provide the play-by-play and begin his broadcast 30 minutes before tip-off with his pregame show. Fans can also listen to Marsh's broadcast online at ucdavisaggies.com.

Due to local broadcasting agreements, KSAC is unable to broadcast any game over the air that tips before 6 p.m. (PT) on weekdays. Internet-only broadcasts will take place when this situation arises. 

CRUNCH NUMBERS HERE
Find out what is happening during every UC Davis men's basketball game via live stats. Links for every men's basketball game are available by clicking "Live Stats" on the team's schedule page at ucdavisaggies.com or by visiting UCDavisLiveStats.com when the Aggies compete at home. 

IT'S OK TO BE A FOLLOWER
Hoops fans can follow their favorite team, and all other Aggie intercollegiate athletics programs on Twitter at the handle @UCDavisAggies. In-game updates are also available on the department's secondary Twitter handle, @UCDavisInGame. 

IF YOU CAN'T BE THERE, CLICK HERE
By accessing the link entitled "Live Stream Provided by BigWest.TV" on the sidebar of the men's basketball homepage on ucdavisaggies.com, fans can access a free video stream of every Big West Conference game involving UC Davis men's basketball this season. Nationally televised appearances, or games broadcasted by ESPN3, are the only exceptions.  

HELP MEN'S HOOPS HELP OTHERS
For the third consecutive season, UC Davis men's basketball is teaming up with the Yolo Food Bank for the program's annual holiday canned food drive. UC Davis students that donate an item will receive a YoloBerry gift card; anyone else that provides a canned or non-perishable item can purchase a general admission ticket for $8 to watch the Aggies open the 2014-15 season against Holy Names. 

Even though UC Davis students and basketball fans only need to donate one item to receive the gift card/reduced admission, individuals can drop off as many items as they want since all proceeds will benefit the Yolo Food Bank's holiday meal distribution programs.

Men's basketball's inaugural food drive took place during the 2012-13 season; fans donated over 315 pounds of items to the Woodland-based non-profit organization. The program collected nearly twice that amount at last year's event.

`TIS THE SEASON
Men's basketball will also partner with Toys for Tots and organize its annual toy drive on Wednesday, Dec. 3, when San José State visits the Pavilion. 

LET'S GET IT STARTED
For the second consecutive year, UC Davis will face Holy Names in its inaugural home game of the season. Including last year's double-digit victory, the Aggies have won all but two of their seven home openers since joining the Big West Conference (2007-08 season).

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Five of UC Davis' first eight games will take place inside the Pavilion. After its season opener against Holy Names, the Aggies will embark on a two-game road trip at Eastern Illinois (11/20) and Furman (11/22) before hosting their next three matchups against Utah State (11/26), Utah Valley (11/29) and San José State (12/3). 

After a quick trip to Idaho (12/6), Eastern Illinois (12/9) will visit Davis before the student-athletes enter their first finals week of the academic year.

SOMETIMES IT IS DIFFICULT TO LIFT THE LID
As successful as the Aggies have been at home, the team has faced its fair share of adversity outside of Davis. On four occasions since becoming a Big West member, UC Davis opened its season competing in tournaments against some of the toughest teams in the nation. Because of this, the Aggies have only won one season-opening contest since its transition to the Division I level. 

UC DAVIS WELCOMES TWO NEW AGGIES
Rogers Printup, a 6-foot-5 guard currently competing for Orange Lutheran High School, and Lawrence White, a 6-foot-3 guard in his second season at Antelope Valley College, each signed a National Letter of Intent and will join the UC Davis men's basketball team prior to the 2015-16 season. 

Printup enters his final year at Orange Lutheran after posting career-best numbers as a junior. In addition to averaging 14.0 points, he also posted 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game to earn all-Trinity League accolades.

The Orange, California, native also added second team Junior All-State and All-CIF Division 1AA Southern Section honors to last year's awards haul.

In his inaugural season at AVC, White averaged 7.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. By shooting 48.3 percent overall, and 36.1 from three and  helped his team end the 2013-14 season as the Western State Conference South champions - the first title of any kind captured by the program in six years.

White joined Antelope Valley men's basketball after a stellar career at John Burroughs High School. In his final season, Lawrence White posted team-high averages of 18.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.6 steals, 2.0 blocks per game and collected first team all-Pacific League accolades.

With White leading the way, the Indians reached the CIF playoffs for the first time since the 2008-09 season.

COMING TO A SCREEN NEAR YOU
Two UC Davis men's basketball games, with the potential for another four, will be broadcasted for fans across the country to watch. The Pac-12 Network will carry the Aggies' Dec. 28 contest at Washington State, ESPN3 will air UC Davis' game at UC Irvine on Feb. 5. 

The Aggies are being considered in four "Wild Card" games throughout league play and will learn three weeks in advance if ESPN2 or ESPNU will pick up their road games at CSUN (Feb. 7) and/or Cal Poly (Feb. 28). Home games against Long Beach State (Jan. 10) and Cal Poly (Jan. 31) are on ESPNU's potential schedule for each respective evening.  If not selected by ESPN2/U, Fox Sports Prime Ticket has the option of televising the UC Davis-Cal Poly contest.

ESPN's family of networks will also broadcast both semifinal and championship games at the Big West Tournament. Fox Sports Prime Ticket will carry all four Big West quarterfinal contests.

A TRUE (ALL-)AMERICAN
For the second time in as many seasons, senior guard Corey Hawkins was honored by CollegeInsider.com when the publication selected him for its annual preseason All-America candidate list for the Lou Henson Award, presented annually to the player of the year at the Division I mid-major level. 

The 2015 Lou Henson Award recipient will be announced at the CollegeInsider.com Awards Banquet on April 3 in Indianapolis, site of the 2015 Men's NCAA Basketball Championship.

HE'S THE BEST IN THE WEST
The Big West that is, as the league's media outlets selected senior guard Corey Hawkins to the conference's Preseason All-Conference Team for the second straight season. 

Joining Hawkins on the BWC's Preseason All-Conference Team are Mike Caffey (Long Beach State), Isaac Fotu (Hawai'i), Stephen Maxwell (CSUN), Mamadou Ndiaye (UC Irvine) and Alan Williams (UC Santa Barbara).

NBC SPORTS NAMES HAWKINS TO ITS ALL-BIG WEST TEAM
Senior guard Corey Hawkins was one of five Big West Conference men's basketball players recognized by NBC Sports when the network released its preseason all-Big West team. This is the second honor that Hawkins has received from NBC Sports as the outlet selected the Goodyear, Arizona, native as one of its mid-major All-Americans last season. 

The two-time all-Big West selection was the only Aggie to start every game played; throughout his 30 appearances last season, Hawkins averaged a team-high 18.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Even though opposing teams specifically focused their defensive efforts on Hawkins due to the slew of Aggies who were unable to play throughout an injury-plagued season, he was still able to post top 10 league averages.

In addition to posting the third-highest scoring figure among all Big West players (missing the second spot by only one-tenth of a point), he led the league in steals, averaging 1.47 per game, and finished his junior season ranked No. 6 in free throw percentage (.757) and No. 9 in assists (2.97).

THE BIG WEST ASKED AND THE FANS ANSWERED
In anticipation of the upcoming basketball season and the #MarchtoMarch, the Big West Conference asked fans to voice their opinion and choose their top five Big West guards. 

After a weeklong voting period, senior guard Corey Hawkins received one of the top five vote totals.

Hawkins has scored 1,108 points in two seasons as an Aggie, ranking No. 17 on the school's all-time list.  He was the Big West scoring champion in 2012-13 and ranked No. 12 in the NCAA with 20.3 points per game. 

In his 58 career games at UC Davis, Hawkins has posted double figure point totals 54 times, including 24 games of 20 points or more.

PAINT PROTECTORS
'The Aggies suffered greatly with two of their top frontcourt players sidelined for most or all of the 2013-14 season - forwards J.T. Adenrele and Josh Ritchart.  As a result, UC Davis finished at the bottom of the Big West in rebounding (28.2 rpg) and next-to-last in blocked shots (2.3 bpg).  Adenrele ranked third in the conference in blocks (1.5 bpg) and No. 14 in rebounding (5.9 rpg) as a sophomore, while Ritchart was averaging 17.3 ppg and 6.6 rpg before last season was cut short nine games in. 

YOU KNOW WHAT'S COMING AND YOU STILL CAN'T STOP HIM
Among all active Big West players, Tyler Les is ranked No. 2 with 144 three-point field goals. Even more remarkable is that the senior guard has taken 166 total field goal attempts throughout his three years at UC Davis; 87 percent of his shots were taken from distance. 

Les trails only one person for the No. 1 spot; his teammate, Josh Ritchart enters his senior campaign with a league-leading 170 three-point field goals made.

SYPKENS SELECTED BY STAMPEDE IN NBA D-LEAGUE DRAFT
Ryan Sypkens will return to the U.S. and continue his career in the NBA Development League after the Idaho Stampede selected the UC Davis alum in the third round of this year's draft. 

The most successful three-point shooter in the history of the Big West Conference will head to Boise just two weeks after ending his season with Aguilas de Tunja, a professional team that competes in Colombia's DirectTV Basketball League.

During his stint abroad, Sypkens helped lead Aguilas to a second-place finish with a 12-8 record. The native of Elk Grove shot 40 percent from the field, 42.4 pct. from three, averaged 11 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. A regular in Tunja's starting lineup, Sypkens earned plenty of playing time throughout the season and logged 28.1 minutes per game - one of the team's top marks.

GET YOUR PASSPORT READY
UC Davis men's basketball alum Paolo Mancasola signed a contract with Sport-Club Itzehoe. Located in Hamburg, Germany, Sport-Club Itzehoe is one of 25 teams in Germany's Pro B League. 

Mancasola's signing took place shortly after former teammate Ryan Sypkens inked his first professional contract to compete for Aguilas de Tunja shortly after receiving his undergraduate degree. Located in Tunja, Boyacá, the Aguilas (Eagles) are one of 12 teams that compete in Colombia's DirecTV Basketball League.

During the same week Mancasola and Sypkens made their announcements, Mark Payne sighed with French club team Champagne Châlons-Reims Basket - one of 18 teams that compete in France's League Nationale de Basket Pro B.

Payne joined Châlons-Reims after enjoying his most successful season abroad. Last year, the 6-foot-8 swingman averaged 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game for Greek club PAOK Thessaloniki.

PAOK Thessaloniki was the second Greek club in as many years to add Payne to its roster as the Stockton, California, native donned Panionios BC Athens' jersey for the 2012-13 season.

BOX SCORE MATH
With Josh Ritchart and J.T. Adenrele each suffering season-ending injuries last season, a collective 29.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game were missing from the Aggies' starting lineup. This year, both are back and ready to return to action as mainstays in Coach Les' rotation. 

OPPORTUNITIES LOST
Every team faces challenges throughout the season; however, UC Davis' situation last year was unique with five players unable to play due to injury or redshirt situation. In all, players who were regular fixtures in the Aggies' starting lineup missed a combined 97 games last year 

FRESHMAN FORCE
With numerous key players unable to compete last year, UC Davis' then-freshmen were forced to make significant contributions. 

Now sophomores with a full season of experience under their belts, Georgi Funtarov, Brynton Lemar and Darius Graham not only accepted that challenge, but rose to the occasion.

The trio was responsible for 23.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg and 157 of the team's assists-figures that account for 33 percent of the team's offense, 31 percent of rebounds recorded and 42 percent of the Aggies' assists. 

HOME SWEET HOME
Including its 80-54 win against Holy Names in last season's inaugural home game, UC Davis has earned victories in six home openers since its transition to Division I competition in 2004. 

BLAST FROM THE PAST
Former UC Davis student-athlete and current assistant coach Kevin Nosek enjoyed his best collegiate game during his senior year when the Aggies faced Holy Names. On Nov. 25, 1998, Nosek hit 4 of 5 from three-point range to finish with 12 points. 

ONE SHOT SHY
In addition to holding Holy Names scoreless for 6:49, a block of time that also saw the Aggies score 19 unanswered points, Aggie alum Ryan Sypkens' near-record performance helped UC Davis cruise to victory in its first home game of the season last year. Responsible for seven of his team's 10 three-point field goals, Sypkens fell one basket shy of tying the program's single-game record from distance. 

READING PROGRAM DRAWS RECORD NUMBERS
After successful campaigns in each of its first two seasons, over 20,000 students from 29 schools scattered throughout Sacramento and Yolo counties will participate in the UC Davis Men's Basketball Reading Program this season. Both figures are all-time highs. 

Each participating student will receive a complimentary ticket to a UC Davis men's basketball home game this season, weekly player bios and videos, motivational posters and a monthly newsletter.

Teachers and administrators interested in signing up their school, or receiving additional information about the UC Davis Men's Basketball Reading Program, are encouraged to contact Director of Basketball Operations Mark Darnall by e-mail at medarnall@ucdavis.edu, or by phone at (530) 752-3501.

THE AGGIES' #MARCHTOMARCH
Honda Center and the Big West Conference have announced that all-session tickets for the 2015 Big West Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament are now on sale. All-session school reserved tickets will be available for $69.00. These seats will be located within a school's section and can be purchased through each institution's box office. 

Premium all-session tickets located in the first four rows of seating will be available for $149.00. General admission all-session tickets are also available for $69.00. These seats can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster retail outlets, or by calling 800-745-3000.

The 2015 Big West Tournament will be hosted for the fifth straight year at Honda Center in Anaheim. The women's tournament first round and quarterfinal games will be played at Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, March 11. The men's tournament begins on Thursday, March 12 at Honda Center with four quarterfinal games. The semifinals and championship games for both the men and women will take place Friday and Saturday at Honda Center. 

FROM THE PAST TO THE PRESENT
The 2014-15 season is the eighth for UC Davis as a member of the Big West Conference. Previous conference affiliations include: 

Far West Conference
1925-1982

Northern California Athletic Conference
1982-1998

California Collegiate Athletic Conference
1998-2004

Division I Independent
2004-2007

Big West Conference
2007-present 

NOTE: The Far West changed its name to the Northern California Athletic Conference in 1982.