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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!  
 
 
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A three from senior psychology major AJ John turned a one-point deficit into a two-point lead with 3:18 remaining in Saturday's Big West Conference game at the Thunderdome, junior economics major Joe Mooney drilled a straightaway three from NBA distance, with 1:24 remaining to break a 53-53 tie and give his team the lead for good, and senior communication major TJ Shorts II scored his team's last four points at the free throw line help UC Davis defeat UC Santa Barbara , 61-57, in ESPNU's nationally televised broadcast.
 
With that victory, the Aggies swept their Central Coast road trip for the second year in a row, and won its third straight game on the Gauchos' own court. Since UCSB head coach Joe Pasternack took over the program last season, the Gauchos are a combined 22-4 at home. Of those four losses, the Aggies are responsible for two of those results.
 
The Aggies' defense held a team that entered the game averaging 74.7 points per game to 17 below that figure; the Gauchos' 57 points were two shy of matching a season-low total. By forcing 13 UCSB turnovers, they also made the most of those opportunities by scoring 19 points off those miscues.
 
UC Davis will return home with an 8-14 overall and 4-4 record in league play, and open a home-heavy portion of its schedule Wednesday evening, versus CSUN, on a three-game win streak.`

"The guys made big plays down the stretch: they were diving on the floor for loose balls, made big shots, battled for rebounds and made big free throws. This was a complete team effort," said UC Davis head coach Jim Les. 

"These guys faced adversity, looked it in the eye and kept working. They stuck together, faced the challenge as a team and now good things are happening for them."
 
UC Santa Barbara will continue its season with records of 17-6 and 6-3.
 
On 8 of 13 shooting, and by hitting all five free throws, Shorts II led all players with 21 points. This marked the second time in the last three games, and fifth time this season he scored 20 or more.
 
"He was the Player of the Year in the conference last year and he's still one of the best," said Pasternack, regarding the way Shorts II impacted the game. "They are the defending league champions and they're playing like that now." 
 
Mooney hit three of his five baskets from three to finish with 13 points; in addition to his outstanding defense, John finished with nine points and four rebounds. Senior economics major Garrison Goode and junior communication major Stefan Gonzalez each added six points; the former finished with four rebounds with the latter leading all Aggies with his five.

"We turned to AJ ... and said 'next man up.' And he was more than ready to go. He gave us some great minutes and great production," said Les. 
 
Saturday's game in Santa Barbara also marked senior communication major Siler Schneider's climb into the program's top 10 in career points scored. The fourth-year guard now has 1,341 points to his credit, which ranks him 10th all-time and fourth in the program's Division I era.
 
By ending the first half on a 21-8 run, UC Davis entered halftime with a 31-25 advantage. However, UCSB regained the lead by scoring nine of the first 11 points after halftime to lead by one.
 
As the half progressed, one team's scoring run was answered by another from the other since the score was tied five times, and the lead changed hands on seven occasions until Mooney's three gave UC Davis the lead for good.  
 
Max Heidegger and JaQuori McLaughlin were the Gauchos' leading scorer with 11 and 10 points apiece.

Les added, "everyone refused to lose and gave a great effort. This is a game that could propel us throughout the upcoming weeks."
 
Of the Aggies final eight games of the regular season, six will take place inside the Pavilion — one of the most difficult places for opponents to play in recent seasons. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, no mainland team holds a higher win percentage, or dropped fewer games on their home court than the Aggies.
 
 
 
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.