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SANTA CLARA, Calif. –  Led by Ezra Manjon who led all Aggies with a career-high 25 points, four Aggies set new career highs in Wednesday's season opener versus Nicholls State in the opening day of action in Santa Clara at Bronco Invitational.

The sophomore guard recorded 10 of his career-high 15 made free throws as part of his 18-point second half, and helped UC Davis tie the game at 78 apiece by scoring the first five of his team's points during a 10-0 run. Damion Squire was responsible for the other five points during that outburst, and posted his first 20-point game as an Aggie by finishing with a career-high 21 on 6 of 10 shooting from the floor, and connecting on 7 of 11 attempts at the free throw line.

But it was a 9-2 Nicholls State scoring run, which followed the Aggies' 10 unanswered points, that helped it pull away for good as the Colonels ultimately left the Leavey Center with a 101-93 victory.

UC Davis' tournament schedule will continue with Friday's 1 p.m. matchup against Santa Clara following a day off for all participating teams due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Since the tournament hosts are streaming its games only, Aggie basketball fans can watch that matchup against the Broncos online, listen to Scott Marsh on Sports 1140 KHTK, or follow the action through live stats. 

Cameron Ba set three new career highs of his own by hitting three shots from three, and both free throw attempts to finish with 11 points. In addition to ending with a team-high five rebounds, Kennedy Koehler set a new career mark — and matched Manjon's total — with a team-high five assists.

Koehler also completed a list of Aggie double-digit scorers by hitting 4 of 7 shots and finishing with 11 points.

Wednesday's game also marked the UC Davis debut for two individuals: redshirt freshman forward Aaron Murphy and freshman forward Caleb McGill. Murphy sank all three of his shots from the floor, hit 1 of 2 free throw attempts, posted seven points and four rebounds; highlighted by a thunderous dunk in the first half, McGill scored four points, recorded one rebound and one assist.

Led by Ty Gordon's team-high 23 points, five Nicholls State players finished in double figures. Jaylen Fornes, Najee Garvin and Isaac Johnson each added 18 points with Kevin Johnson chipping in another 11.



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