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DAVIS, Calif. — Eleven lead changes and two tied scores took place throughout the first half of Saturday's Big West Conference game at the Pavilion until freshman guard Ezra Manjon hit two free throws to help the Aggies take the lead for good with 2:30 remaining until halftime.
 
Up by five at the break, three plays midway through the second half broke the game wide open and allowed UC Davis to pull away and record a 66-51 victory over Cal Poly: a fastbreak dunk from Ezra Manjon, a drawn charge from the freshman point guard on the ensuing Mustang possession, and a fastbreak layup from freshman guard Ade Adebayo, which drew the loudest roar of the night since it pushed the Aggies' lead to a then-game-high eight points.
 
As the final 10 minutes of action progressed, UC Davis continued to pull away from the Mustangs and led by as many as 17 until a Cal Poly layup, scored with 23 seconds to play, led to the game's final score.
 
UC Davis will return to the road for its next two games, both broadcasted by ESPN3, and enter the Bren Events Center for Thursday's 7 p.m. return matchup against UC Irvine at 9-14 overall and 3-4 in league play. The Mustangs will return home with respective records of 5-16 and 2-5.
 
Saturday's result extends the Aggies' home win streak against Cal Poly to eight games; they have now won seven of the last eight and 12 of the last 14 head-to-head matchups.
 
Many familiar faces returned to The Pavilion since this home contest took place on the program's Alumni Day. As part of the day's festivities, members of the 1997-98 NCAA Division II national championship team were honored during the game and among the 2,263 fans in attendance.
 
That crowd watched Joe Mooney finish with a game-high 19 points and a team-high eight rebounds, Man jon score double figures for the eighth game in a row by ending with 12, and the trio of Kennedy Koehler, Elijah Pepper and Ade Adebayo earn nine points each.
 
Included in Adebayo's three baskets was his first three as an Aggie, which led to a career-high point total.
 
"Ade is facing an extra challenge since he is from another country and playing a completely different style of basketball than he is use to. He is a really good defender, he is disruptive … him hitting a couple free throws and watching that three go in built his confidence. He makes those shots in practice." said head coach Jim Les.
 
"I have been in that position where you are coming off the bench and want to make an impact. He has grown and matured this season, and is playing like a sophomore like those other young players. These freshmen guards are growing up before our eyes" Les added.
 
But it was UC Davis' defense that kept Cal Poly in check throughout the entire second half; Cal Poly hit one of seven shots from the floor when Manjon and Adebayo made those three plays to help the Aggies pull away for good.
 
The Mustangs only connected on 18 of 50 attempts overall from the floor (.360) and 3 of 20 shots from three (.150). On the other end of the court, UC Davis shot .420 overall, .429 from distance and .857 at the free throw line, cementing its position as the league's top shooting team from three and the stripe — in addition to holding one of the Big West's best overall shooting percentages — entering next week's road trip.
 
"We held them to 51 (points) and 37 percent shooting, that is Aggie basketball in this building, which leads to wins in home games," said Les. 
 
Following Thursday's game at UC Irvine, UC Davis will head to Cal State Fullerton for Saturday's 7:30 p.m. tilt. Its  next game on Bob Hamilton Court will take place on Feb. 13 (7 p.m.) against UC Santa Barbara.
 

 
TOGETHER, WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING
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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.