Follow UC Davis: Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Facebook
  
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Tied at 36 at halftime in Wednesday's non-conference game from the Rolle Activity Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, UC Davis dominated every one of the 20 minutes played, once action resumed, to pull away and end its season-high eight-game road swing with an 85-66 victory — the Aggies' third in a row against Northern Arizona.
 
By scoring 31 of his career-high 35 points after halftime, Joe Mooney personally outscored the entire Lumberjack team in the second half (30 points). In addition to leading all Aggies with a season-high seven rebounds, his 12 field goals made is another career best and his five threes are a new season high.
 
"Everyone played well tonight, this was a complete team win," said Mooney.
 
"I thought the defensive pressure was the key," said head coach Jim Les regarding the main element behind his team's blowout victory. "When you do the little things, like dive for a loose ball or take a charge, it is amazing how the ball finds you and ends up through the basket."
 
Responsible for one of the, if not the best individual performance by an Aggie since Corey Hawkins finished with 40 points at Hawai'i on January 19, 2013, Mooney was the definition of efficient throughout the second half.
 
The senior economics major hit 11 of 13 shots after the break, canned 5 of 6 from three and nailed all four attempts at the free throw line.
 
"Coach [Les] says it all the time, 'if you focus your energy and effort on defense, good things will happen.' And that took place tonight. I played aggressively, and with confidence tonight, and I found opportunities to attack the basket, whether it was around the rim or from three."
 
The junior economics major also summed up the evening perfectly by adding, "tonight was just a lot of fun."
 
Mooney was not the only Aggie who was on fire from the moment Wednesday's game started because Stefan Gonzalez was lights-out from three all night long. A career-high five of his six baskets were made from three as he scored a season-high 17 points.
 
Kennedy Koehler shot a perfect 5-for-5 against the Lumberjacks and recorded his first double-digit point total as an Aggie by finishing with 10. In addition to collecting five rebounds, he provided a spark off the bench prior to halftime, and was unstoppable afterwards.
 
"I thought Kennedy gave us a great lift from the start of the game. With the altitude, I tried to run guys through and give everyone frequent breaks … once he entered the game, he gave us a presence down low.
 
"He is a physical, fundamental rebounder … when he puts a body on someone and goes after the ball, that often leads to a UC Davis possession," Les said.
 
Even though the game took place in Flagstaff, 7,000 feet above sea level, it was the Aggies who played with energy and the Lumberjacks who looked gassed as the game progressed. This allowed the Aggies to pull away for good midway through the second half by hitting 9 of 11 shots; they also held NAU without a field goal for a four-plus-minute stretch of action when their lead grew to a game-high 21 points.
 
"[The Lumberjacks] looked tired because we pressured them defensively and made them work when we had the ball. Credit our guys because we were also patient on offense. I told them afterwards that I was proud with the way we played," added Les.
 
Led by Mooney and his seven, five Aggies finished with five or more rebounds: Ezra Manjon (career-high six), Elijah Pepper, Gonzalez and Koehler. As a team, UC Davis outrebounded NAU by a 34-22 margin.
 
For the second time this season, the Aggies shot .600 or higher from the floor, and hit that percentage on the mark by hitting 30 of 50 attempts overall. By hitting 10 of 19 from three (.526), they hit half of their shots from behind the arc (or more) for the second time this year. In addition to scoring a season-high 85 points, UC Davis also recorded a season-high free throw clip of .938 by connecting on 15 of 16 attempts.
 
With Wednesday's result, UC Davis will return home with a 3-7 record. Northern Arizona suffered its first loss at home this season and fell to 3-2.
 
The Aggies will compete on Hamilton Court for the first time in a month when they host Northern Illinois in Saturday's 5 p.m. non-conference game.
 

 
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.