Berkeley, Calif. — The UC Davis men's basketball team opened the regular season on Monday night, defeating Cal for the first time in program history, 75-65 at Haas Pavilion. 

A career high 21 points for Christian Anigwe led UC Davis on the night, while newcomer Ty Johnson was all over the floor, contributing 17 points and eight rebounds. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• UC Davis picks up a win on opening night for the second consecutive year after defeating Utah State last season.
• The victory marks the second straight season the Aggies have downed a Pac-12 opponent, beating Oregon State, 71-64. 
• 11 Aggies chipped in on the night, showing off the newfound versatility and depth the 2022-23 squad possesses. 
• Christian Anigwe recorded a career-high 21 points on the night, fueled by his career-high three makes from beyond the arc. Anigwe finished 8-12 from the field while posting a 3-4 clip from three-point range. Dealing with the interior forces for Berkeley all night, Anigwe rose above and beyond to help Davis win by impacting all facets of the game.
• Sophomore Ty Johnson made his Aggie debut and did not disappoint as he posted 17 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, while also being the clear orchestrator of the offense. Johnson passed all the eye-tests with his ability to play at his own pace the entire night while also, coupling it with elite athleticism. 
• Elijah Pepper made his presence felt on the defensive side of the ball with his team high four steals, while also chipping in 16 points. Pepper also led with a team high +/- of +15.
• Sione Lose also made his Aggie debut after redshirting all of last season and was maybe the difference maker for UC Davis. Playing 19 minutes on the night, Lose was disruptive and had the Golden Bear guards in jail when he was out on the floor. Sione had two steals on the night, and picked up five big rebounds.
• The Aggies leaned on their versatility all night and it showed in their ability to run a switch-all scheme and play pesky perimeter defense to cause Cal fits as the Golden Bears were held to 38.1% from the field. 

UP NEXT

• UC Davis hosts Cal-Maritime on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at University Credit Union Center. The game will be live on ESPN+. Admission is also free for those who plan on attending.