UC DAVIS (7-5) AT HAWAI'I (9-3)
THURSDAY, DEC. 29 | 9 P.M. | SIMPLIFI ARENA | HONOLULU, HI
WATCH: ESPN+ (Game also will be aired on Spectrum Sports - Ch. 12 [SD] and 1012 [HD])
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS

Davis, Calif. — After a non-conference slate that saw the Aggies go 7-5 through 12 games, UC Davis will get their first taste of Big West action at SimpliFi Arena when they visit the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors. Picking up a notable win against Power-5 opponent Cal during the season opener, the Aggies preseason schedule can also be characterized by the ability to rattle off impressive wins against Arkansas State, rival Sacramento State, SEMO, and Boston. After starting the season off to an impressive 6-2 record during the month of November, the Aggies will be looking to snap a two game skid and finish December with a victory to open up Big West play. 

THE TIP OFF

• Aggies are coming off a 81-54 loss at UCLA.
• Even after being stifled by one of the top teams in the country in their most recent game, the Aggies still are leading the Big West in offense while also ranking out as the 74th scoring offense in the country (78.1 points per game).
• Elijah Pepper received the Big West Player of the Week on Dec. 19 for his consecutive games with 20+ points against Holy Names and Eastern Washington. 
• With Pepper averaging 19.7 points per game, he ranks second among all Big West leaders and 24th nationwide.
• Ty Johnson is fourth in the Big West in scoring, averaging 16.3 points per game while also being the only Big West player to be averaging two or more steals per game.
• Four of the five Aggies starters are among the top-25 in scoring average leaders in the Big West where Christian Anigwe is averaging 11.4 points per game, with Robby Beasley III scoring 10.4 points per contest.
• Aggies aren't only known for their scoring, as Christian Anigwe also leads the Big West in blocks, averaging 1.67 a game. He is 55th in the nation in blocks per game.
• Aggies have been rebounding with the best of them all season, and has proven to be a key determinant in their ability to secure victories. When out rebounding their opponents, the Aggies are 7-1.
• The Aggies rank first in the Big West in every rebounding category and are among the top-30 in the nation in every rebounding statistic.
• Making the most of his speed and craftiness, Johnson has paced the Aggies to be one of the leading teams in free-throw attempts. Johnson is 16th in the nation in free-throw attempts and is a huge reason for Davis averaging the ninth most free-throws in the nation. The Aggies also carry a huge advantage in this category over all of their fellow Big West opponents, where the next closest team in attempts trails UC Davis by 79 attempts.
• After projected to finish 6th in the Big West Preseason Coaches Poll, the Aggies enter the game against Hawai'i tied for third and sport the fourth best scoring margin in the conference (+6).
• UC Davis is ranked 188th in Kenpom's adjusted efficiency margin.

ABOUT THE BOWS

• Led by Eran Ganot, the Rainbow Warriors are 9-3 during the 2022-23 season.
• Their most recent game, the Rainbow Warriors took down SMU, 58-57 to give them their first ever Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic title.
• Hawai'i is playing their best basketball of the season and enter the contest with a four game win streak.
• Known for their stingy defense, the Rainbow Warriors are the 19th ranked team in scoring defense, limiting their opponents to just 60.2 points per game. 
• A big key for Hawai'i is their ability to run guys off the line, and limit teams from the perimeter, where they rank 16th in the nation in three point percentage defense. The Rainbow Warriors are limiting their opponents to a 27.4% mark from three.
• Spearheading the attack for the Bows is Noel Coleman who is the ninth leading scorer in the Big West (14.7 PPG), along with 6'10 forward, Kamaka Hepa, the former Texas Longhorn who leads the Bows in rebounds, 3FG, and blocks.
• Hawai'i ranks 121st in Kenpom's adjusted efficiency margin.
• JoVon McClanahan is also a key player to watch for Hawai'i after winning the MOP and Big West Player of the Week for his play during the Diamond Head Classic.

SERIES INFO

• The Aggies have played Hawai'i 20 times* in history with the Aggies trailing the all-time series 8-12.
• The last matchup was a 68-65 win for the Aggies last season on Feb. 5, 2022, a game that saw both Pepper and Anigwe reach double figures in the victory.
  • *Two games ended in vacated results for Hawai'i

UP NEXT

• After Hawai'i the Aggies will have a week between games before hosting UC Irvine on Jan. 5 for their first home conference game of the season. Tip off against UC Irvine is scheduled for 6 P.M. PT.

1000 POINT MILESTONE 

• Elijah Pepper scored 17 points against Milwaukee and eclipsed the 1,000 career points scored mark.
• He became the 25th Aggie in history to reach the spectacular feat and just the 10th in the Division 1 Era for Aggie Basketball.
• Elijah surpassed former Aggie, Dominic Calegari and now holds sole possession as the 8th highest scoring Aggie in the Division 1 Era.
• He enters the contest against Hawai'i with 1,122 points and trails the 17th ranked Mark Ford by 15 points.

SCORING IN BUNCHES

• As it currently stands, the Aggies are the No. 1 scoring offense in the Big West, averaging a staggering 78.1 points per game.
• Possessing the second leading conference scorer Elijah Pepper, the Aggies are also paced by transfer, Ty Johnson.
• Johnson is averaging 16.3 points per game, good for fourth in the Big West.
• Pepper and Johnson's career high's this year of 32 points are first among individual Big West game highs
• The Aggies have four different members among the top-25 scorers in the conference.
• Pace has been harped on all year, and a huge reason for the ability to generate points at such an elite rate (Aggies rank 25th in pace per CBB Ref).
• While an incredibly difficult number to maintain, the Aggies have never averaged 75 or more points in the Division 1 era.

LONE SENIOR

• While people from the outside looking in are focused on how the new Aggies will perform this season, lost in it all is lone senior, Christian Anigwe. While Pepper may serve as the main scorer on most nights, Anigwe is set to be a huge part of the Aggie rotation. After battling all of last season with nagging injuries, his leadership and presence on the floor could be a big factor for UC Davis this season. Coach Les praised Anigwe's toughness for being able to play through pain all of the 2021-22 season and the hope is that fully healthy, he can prove he is a force to be reckoned with and unlock another level of play with his ability to step outside and create mismatches.

DEPTH AND SIZE

• The addition of seven new players is a major storyline for UC Davis basketball, addressing depth and possessing players with the ability to play both inside and out is what Coach Les looks to build on this season. After only having three players 6'7 or taller last season, UC Davis now rosters seven players who carry this distinction. In an always competitive Big West Conference that at times relies on running traditional lineups featuring two bigs, Les prioritized bringing in new faces that will allow the Aggies to throw out lineups that can maintain the pressure and pace they want to play at, while also being able to target mismatches on a nightly basis.

GUARD PLAY

• While the focus of the offseason was to get more versatile on the perimeter by adding length, the guards for the upcoming season and the depth at this position also is something Coach Les has raved about. With returners Elijah Pepper, Ade Adebayo, Leo DeBruhl, Kane Milling, and Sione Losé, there is plenty of skill and versatility among the crop to play in three and even four-guard sets with confidence. The additions of Robby Beasley III who has proven himself as a scorer and floor spacer and Ty Johnson with his defensive prowess and NCAA Tournament experience also provides UC Davis with plug and play guys who will be ready to make an impact right away.

EUROPE TRIP AT THE RIGHT TIME

• The Aggies took a 10-day trip overseas and got to experience the trip of a lifetime while also being able to pick up 10 very important, extra practices that the Aggies are hoping will translate to more wins throughout the course of the season for team with 7 new faces.
• The Aggies have been preparing for the last four years and had planned to take the trip two years ago before the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to be postponed. 
• From a basketball perspective, the trip couldn't come at a better time for Les' Aggies. UC Davis features eight returners and will be integrating seven newcomers.
• "There isn't a better time in my opinion," Les said. "Not only will it be great team and culture building off the floor but also a great opportunity to get a jump start on the season this summer with basically a brand new team."

AN INTERNATIONAL GAME

• Another season, and another year with multiple international members being Aggies
• Competing for UC Davis men's basketball this season are five international players:

                - Junior forward Sam Manu (Taiwan)

                - Junior guard Kane Milling (Nantes, France)

                - Junior guard Ade Adebayo (London, England)

                - Sophomore forward Francesco Borra (Moncalieri, Italy)

                - Sophomore forward Niko Rochak (Geneva, Switzerland)

THREE AGGIES IN THE NBA

• We take pride in building a culture not only from a player's perspective but also having a support system full of people that promote what it takes to be an Aggie. This summer three former members of UC Davis Basketball  and people who have made a huge impact on the program have found themselves in the NBA. The list includes:

                - Chima Moneke (Kings - Player)

                - Ryan Oliver (Spurs - Basketball Operations)

                - Hunter Eisenhower (Kings - Strength Coach)

TRUE UNIVERSITY AMBASSADORS

• Excelling on the field and in the classroom, UC Davis student-athletes compete in 25 intercollegiate sports (16 women's and nine men's).
• Ranked No. 5 among all public schools in the nation by the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 undergraduate majors across four colleges and six professional schools, including the world's top-ranked veterinary science and agriculture programs.
• UC Davis student-athletes perform academically at a level of achievement that is equivalent to the undergraduate student body
• UC Davis' teams lead their conferences in many academic metrics, including Academic Progress Rate (APR) and Graduation Success Rate (GSR).
• UC Davis Athletics also sets the national standard in preparing student-athletes to launch successfully into jobs and graduate school opportunities through its innovative Aggie EVO System.