GAME 18
UC DAVIS (10-7, 3-2 BIG WEST) AT UC SAN DIEGO (6-11, 1-4 BIG WEST)
MONDAY, JAN. 16 | 3 P.M. | LIONTREE ARENA | LA JOLLA, CALIF.
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS
 

Davis, Calif. — An 83-79 win Saturday against Cal State Fullerton marked the third consecutive victory for the UC Davis Men's Basketball Team (10-7, 3-2). A squad who seems to be finding their rhythm at the right time after a rough stretch in December, the Aggies will look to make it four-straight wins when they visit UC San Diego on Monday.

THE TIP-OFF

• Scheduled for a 3 P.M. PT start at LionTree Arena, UC Davis is looking to keep adding onto their season-long winning streak.
• Posting a 83-79 win against Cal State Fullerton, the Aggies have jumped the Titans and now find themselves fifth in the Big West standings.
• Leading the charge last time out was Elijah Pepper who scored a game-high 29 points on 9-17 shooting from the field. Eli also added four assists, four rebounds, and a team-high three steals.
• UC Davis is now 3-1 to start the month of January, with their lone loss coming at the hands of the UC Irvine Anteaters.
• The Aggies are looking to improve their road record on the season as they are currently 2-5 in "true-away" games, while being 8-2 in all other environments.
• Creating pressure on the defensive side of the ball during their winning streak, the Aggies still are characterized by their 83rd ranked scoring offense, with their ability to attack the painted area at will as displayed by their No. 9 ranked free throw attempts per game mark.
• UC Davis is quietly climbing up the KenPom rankings as they clock in ranked 166th according to their AdjEM.

ABOUT THE TRITONS

• With Coach Eric Olen at the helm, the Tritons are 6-11 up until this point.
• Led by the third leading scorer in the Big West Bryce Pope who is averaging 18.4 points per contest, the Tritons are the ninth ranked scoring offense in the Big West, averaging 64.8 points per game.
• One of the better shooting teams in the conference, UC San Diego generates many quality looks from behind the arc, and convert their free throw attempts at an efficient rate. They rank fifth in the conference in three point field goal makes per game, and second in free throw percentage. 
• Struggling to rebound at times, the Aggies will look to exploit the UC San Diego's front court as the Tritons allow the most rebounds of any other Big West foe.

SERIES INFO

• The Aggies lead the all-time series against the Tritons 20-6.
• Last time these programs faced each other, the Aggies got the best of the Tritons, winning by a score of 78-71 on Jan. 8, 2022.
• UC Davis has won the past two matchups against UC San Diego.

UP NEXT

• The Ags will follow up Monday with two more Big West matchups this week, hosting UC Riverside and Cal Poly.
• UC Riverside visits Davis on Thursday, Jan. 19 with tip-off set for 5 P.M. PT at the University Credit Union Center.
• Cal Poly will round out the three-game week for the Aggies with a matchup against the Mustangs scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 21 at 3 P.M. PT, again at the University Credit Union Center.

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, Brynton Lemar after scoring 20 points against CSUN and now holds sole possession as the 7th highest scoring Aggie in the Division 1 Era. 
• He enters the contest against UC San Diego with 1,216 points and is 19 points away from being the 15th most prolific scorer in UC Davis Men's Basketball history. 

SCORING IN BUNCHES

• As it currently stands, the Aggies are the No. 2 scoring offense in the Big West, averaging a staggering 76.4 points per game.
• Possessing the second leading conference scorer Elijah Pepper, the Aggies are also paced by transfer, Ty Johnson.
• Johnson is averaging 15.1 points per game, good for seventh 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 38th 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. Christian is averaging 12.4 points per game while hauling in 5.4 rebounds per game.

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 Rocak (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.