Follow UC Davis: Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Facebook
 
UC Davis basketball fans enjoyed two perfect home records in the last four seasons, and watched the Aggies win three Big West titles throughout that same timespan. Create a home court advantage like no other, purchase your tickets for a men's basketball home game today!  
 
 
IRVINE, Calif. – Trailing by seven with 1:28 seconds remaining in Thursday's Big West Conference opener at UC Irvine, UC Davis' trademark defense held the host Anteaters scoreless for the rest of regulation.
 
On the other end of the court throughout that timespan, a three-point play from senior economics major Garrison Goode trimmed that deficit to a two-possession margin, and back-to-back layups from senior communication major TJ Shorts II and junior economics major Joe Mooney tied the score at 61-61, forcing another road overtime game in Irvine for the second straight season.
 
With the lead switching sides in OT, and the Aggies trailing by two with 16 seconds left to play, they decided to play for the win, and took a three-point shot on its final possession of the extra session. But it was an unfortunate bounce for the Ags that allowed UC Irvine to escape with a 71-69 victory, and snap UC Davis' three-game win streak versus the Anteaters.
 
UC Davis will enter Saturday's 4 p.m. ESPN3 broadcast, at Long Beach State, with a 4-11 overall and 0-1 league record. UC Irvine will continue its season at 13-4 and 1-0 respectively.
 
Shorts II earned his second career double-double by finishing with a team-high 21 points and game-high 10 rebounds.
 
In addition to his career-high five rebounds, Mooney scored a season-high 14 points by hitting three of his four field goals from three, and scored another three at the stripe.
 
Junior communication Matt Neufeld was the final Aggie double-digit scorer; he shot 4-for-5 overall and connected on three free throws of his own to finish with 11 points.

UC Davis entered halftime down by nine, and saw UC Irvine's lead swell to as many as 16 before it roared back to tie the game at 43 apiece, thanks to a 18-2 run that spanned 5:39, and contained another 9-0 scoring spree.
 
Prior to Thursday's game, the only matchup on the conference's schedule that evening, UC Davis won four of the previous five, and the last three in a row against the Anteaters.
 
 
 
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation.
 
Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis.
 
Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
 
CREATE A HOME COURT ADVANTAGE LIKE NO OTHER
UC Davis basketball fans have watched the Aggies win three championships and enjoy two undefeated seasons inside the Pavilion in the last four years. Don't miss out on another historic season, click here to purchase your season tickets today!
 
TOGETHER, WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING
Directly impact the lives of potential, and current UC Davis basketball student-athletes, by joining the Aggie Round Table.
 
With support from this select group of insiders, the men's basketball program can expand its recruiting efforts to find prospects who will thrive at the fifth-ranked public school in the nation, compete at a championship level and represent the University in a first-class manner as one of its ambassadors. 
 
Contact Liz Martin (Assistant Athletics Director, Leadership Giving & Alumni Engagement) at (530) 574-8623 or emartin@ucdavis.edu to find out how you can join this exclusive club!
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley.
 
The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.