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DAVIS, Calif. – Twelve home games, a non-conference tournament hosted by Santa Clara, its annual rivalry game versus Sacramento State and a new format for Big West Conference matchups are featured in UC Davis' 2020-21 schedule, as announced by head coach Jim Les on Wednesday.

Per the direction of the Big West Board of Directors, all teams will begin the season without fans in attendance. The issue of fan attendance will be revisited as the season progresses.

By joining the Aggie Cutout Crew, fans can support UC Davis basketball by purchasing fan cutouts that will sit inside the Pavilion for every men's and women's basketball home game. Click here for additional information about fan cutouts, image guidelines, to submit your photo(s) or one that features your pet!

Cutouts will be placed in sections that are visible on video streams for home games.

The upcoming season will officially tip-off on Nov. 25, in Santa Clara, with three games at the Silicon Valley Classic. Even though the event's schedule is not official at the time of this release, UC Davis will square-off against Santa Clara, Idaho State and Nicholls State throughout the first weekend of the season.

Following their Dec. 5 home opener against Portland, non-conference action will continue with a trio of road games at Cal Baptist (Dec. 8), at Pacific (Dec. 12) and at Sacramento State (Dec. 19) before the Aggies host William Jessup (Dec. 22) in its final Big West tune-up.

With three postseason berths and three Big West championships in the last six seasons, UC Davis will begin its pursuit of another playoff appearance and title at CSU Bakersfield (Dec. 27-28) in the first of a 20-game conference slate.

Under the league's modified format for the 2020-21 season, the Aggies will face the Roadrunners again the following day before returning to Davis for their inaugural set of BWC home games.

Subject to necessary state and local approvals, men's basketball's traditional home-and-home round-robin schedule was adjusted by league officials; teams will now face the same opponent on consecutive days at one site. With the exception of the first week of Big West action — games are scheduled on a Sunday and Monday since every league school is on its holiday break — matchups for the remaining 10 weeks of the season will take place on Fridays and Saturdays, with one bye week built into each team's slate.

This modified format was created to reduce travel and enhance the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches and staff.

Following its games at CSU Bakersfield — one of two teams making their Big West debuts this season — UC Davis will ring in the new year by hosting UC Riverside (Jan. 1-2) in its first set of league home contests.

Other teams visiting the Pavilion in 2021 include Cal State Fullerton (Jan. 15-16), UC Santa Barbara (Jan. 29-30), Long Beach State (Feb. 12-13) and Hawai'i (March 5-6) — the final games of the regular season for the Aggies.

In addition to its trip to CSU Bakersfield, the Aggies will visit UC Irvine (Jan. 8-9), league newcomer UC San Diego (Jan. 22-23), CSUN (Feb. 5-6) and Cal Poly (Feb. 26-27).

The Aggies' bye week is scheduled for the round of games taking place on Feb. 19 and 20.

After spending its last seven years in the Western Athletic Conference, CSU Bakersfield will compete as a full-fledged Big West institution for the first time this season. The 2020-21 campaign marks the first of a NCAA-mandated four-year reclassification period to Division I for UC San Diego; the league will include the Tritons on its round robin schedules, even though they are not eligible for the conference tournament until the reclassification period ends in July of 2024.

Led by 2019-20 Big West Freshman of the Year Ezra Manjon, eight returners, one redshirt freshman and six newcomers will help UC Davis battle for one of eight available spots at the Big West Men's Basketball Tournament (March 10-13), and ultimately, the league's NCAA Tournament automatic bid.

This year marks the first time since 2010, when this event took place inside the Anaheim Convention Center, that both the men and women will participate in their respective year-end conference playoffs at the same location.

Visit UCDavisAggies.com in the upcoming weeks to view official tipoff times for each game and access links for live video streams once the season is underway. Fans can also watch every UC Davis men's basketball home game, and all Big West contests at BigWest.TV.

 
UC Davis Men's Basketball — 2020-21 Schedule

Nov. 25	Santa Clara/Idaho State/Nicholls State^
Nov. 27	Santa Clara/Idaho State/Nicholls State^
Nov. 28	Santa Clara/Idaho State/Nicholls State^
Dec. 5	Portland
Dec. 8	at Cal Baptist
Dec. 12	at Pacific
Dec. 19	at Sacramento State
Dec. 22	William Jessup
Dec. 27 and 28	at CSU Bakersfield*
Jan. 1 and 2	UC Riverside*
Jan. 8 and 9	at UC Irvine*
Jan. 15 and 16	Cal State Fullerton*
Jan. 22 and 23	at UC San Diego*
Jan. 29 and 30	UC Santa Barbara*
Feb. 5 and 6	at CSUN*
Feb. 12 and 13	Long Beach State*
Feb. 19 and 20	BYE WEEK
Feb. 26 and 27	at Cal Poly*
March 5 and 6	Hawai'i*
March 10	Big West Tournament Opening Round^^
March 11	Big West Tournament Quarterfinals^^
March 12	Big West Tournament Semifinals^^
March 13	Big West Tournament Championship Game^^

Home series denoted in bold
Schedule subject to change
* -  Big West Conference games
^ - Silicon Valley Classic (Hosted by Santa Clara; Santa Clara, Calif.)
^^ - Hosted by the Honda Center; Anaheim, Calif.
All tipoff times are TBD (as of Oct. 21)

 

ABOUT UC DAVIS
With the addition of equestrian and women's beach volleyball in 2018, more than 700 student-athletes represent the fifth-ranked public school in the nation on one of 25 intercollegiate athletics teams.

UC Davis, a national leader in Title IX gender equity and leadership, is centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley; and offers an unrivaled student-athlete experience that features the ideal combination of elite academics, Division I athletics and personal growth.

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