GAME 21
UC DAVIS (12-8, 5-3 BIG WEST) AT CSU BAKERSFIELD (6-13, 2-6 BIG WEST)
THURSDAY, JAN. 26 | 7 P.M. | ICARDO CENTER | BAKERSFIELD, CALIF.
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GAME 22
UC DAVIS (12-8, 5-3 BIG WEST) AT LONG BEACH STATE (10-10, 4-4 BIG WEST)
SATURDAY, JAN. 28 | 1 P.M. | WALTER PYRAMID | LONG BEACH, CALIF.
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Davis, Calif. – A late layup from sophomore Ty Johnson, followed by a defensive stand that saw three different Aggies contest the Mustangs at the rim on the opposite end of the court, capped off a 15-0 run from UC Davis as Jim Les' squad pulled off a miraculous 65-63 win against Cal Poly last time out. Leading for only 46 seconds in the entire game, it was all that was needed to defend the University Credit Union Center from a Mustang stampede.

Marching their way forward to a blistering 5-2 record in the month of January, the Aggies are set for a rematch with CSU Bakersfield on Thursday, before heading down to Walter Pyramid on Saturday to face Long Beach State for the first time this season.

TIP-OFF

• A 7 P.M. start Thursday in Bakersfield, the Aggies are hoping to find similar success against the Roadrunners as UC Davis won the first matchup of the year, 67-48.
• For the first time, the Aggies will have consecutive road games in Big West play.
• At 5-3, the Aggies are in fifth place among the Big West standings.
• The only two losses this month for the Aggies came by way of two possessions of less to the top two teams in the Big West.
• Connecting on and off the court, the added team chemistry is allowing for the team; as Coach Les likes to put it; to "share the sugar" on the offensive end. 
• The Aggies are one of the most balanced offensive teams in the nation, as four different guys average double figures.
• Transition and pace has been preached on all year to maximize the each player's strengths, but defense has been the key to the recent hot-streak.
• The Aggies are averaging 7.29 steals per game during the month of January and plenty of more pass deflections which is contributing to the Aggies getting out on the break.
• Ty Johnson leads the Big West in steals per game with 1.9 per game as the primary POA defender for the Ags.
• UC Davis also possesses the conference leader in blocks, Christian Anigwe who is averaging 1.5 per contest.
• Offensive rebounding has been a way for the Aggies to leave their imprint on the game. UC Davis has 260 offensive rebounds this season while their opponents have just 199. They rank 20th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game with 13.
• The Aggies also are still ranked tied for 11th in free throw attempts while being 22nd in total makes per game.

ABOUT THE ROADRUNNERS

• The Roadrunners are led by head coach, Rod Barnes who is in his 12th year at CSU Bakersfield.
• 6-13 on the year and 2-6 in the Big West, the Roadrunners came into the year projected to finish 8th in the Big West.
• The focal point for Barnes at the beginning of the year was Kaleb Higgins, who is leading the team in scoring, averaging 13.1 points per night. Higgins is the only Roadrunner ranking inside the top-25 of Big West scorers.
• After Higgins suffered a season ending injury in January, Cameron Smith has been a go-to-guy for the 'Runners. He scored a career high 27 points against UC Santa Barbara this past week.
• A team that is known for their defense, Coach Barnes leans on his 25th ranked scoring defense. The Roadrunners are the third ranked defense in the Big West, trailing only Hawai'i, and UC Santa Barbara, displaying yet again the stinginess of Big West teams on the defensive end this year.
• The 'Runners are ranked 311th in Kenpom's AdjEM.

SERIES INFO

• UC Davis trails the all-time series against CSU Bakersfield 14-29.
• Even with the advantage all-time for Roadrunners, the Aggies have won five straight matchups.

ABOUT THE BEACH

• Long Beach State is led by Dan Monson who is in his 16th season at the helm of The Beach and in his 26th overall year with stops at Gonzaga and Minnesota prior. 
• A very similar style of play to UC Davis when you break down the numbers, Long Beach State excels at scoring, getting to the free throw line, and crashing the glass.
• Long Beach State is may be the best rebounding team UC Davis has faced this season as The Beach are second nationally in rebounds per game with 42 a game.
• The Beach are the second rated scoring offense in the Big West (60th nationally) averaging 77.1 points per game, but last in scoring defense, as they allow 74.5 points per game.
• Just like the Aggies, they have three different members in the top-25 of scoring in the Big West. They also have a bunch of guys littered throughout the leaders of steals and blocks but since they play at a torrid pace just like UC Davis (23rd in Pace per CBB Ref) they are susceptible to nights where they struggle to contain their opponents. 
• Long Beach State is led by guard Joel Murray who is averaging 15.7 PPG (5th in the Big West), 3.8 APG (6th in the Big West), and 1.6 STL (4th in the Big West). After suffering a season ending wrist injury, Long Beach State will turn to the likes of Marcus Tsohonis, who is coming off a Big West Player of the Week nod, and Lassina Traore who leads the Big West in rebounding.
• The Beach are ranked 168th in Kenpom's AdjEM.

SERIES INFO

• UC Davis trails the all-time series 12-24. 
• Long Beach State has won the last two matchups.
• UC Davis is 7-3 against Long Beach State in the last 10 games.

UP NEXT

• Next week the Aggies only have one game scheduled and it will be a huge matchup against Hawai'i at the University Credit Union Center. The game theme for that Thursday night on Feb. 2 will be "Fan Feast" / "Dine at the UCU" with tip-off at 6 P.M. PT. 
• A huge matchup in regards to standings, as well as the fact that the Rainbow Warriors got the best of the Aggies in the first matchup of the season, UC Davis will try to even out the season series and defend their home court against Hawai'i. 

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 now holds sole possession as the 7th highest scoring Aggie in the Division 1 Era.
• He enters the contest against CSU Bakersfield with 1,269 points and overtook Fowzi Abdelsamad as the 15th most prolific scorer in UC Davis Men's Basketball history. 
• Eli is 11 points away from tying former Aggie sharpshooter, Ryan Sypkens for 14th all time. 

SCORING IN BUNCHES

• As it currently stands, the Aggies are the No. 3 scoring offense in the Big West, averaging a staggering 75.7 points per game.
• Possessing the leading conference scorer Elijah Pepper, the Aggies are also paced by transfer, Ty Johnson.
• Johnson is averaging 15.4 points per game, good for seventh in the Big West.
• Pepper and Johnson's career high's this year of 32 points are second among individual Big West game highs, trailing only Long Beach States' Marcus Tsohonis 46 point output in a triple-overtime game against UC San Diego.
• The Aggies have three different members among the top-25 scorers in the conference, and four players averaging double figures.
• Pace has been harped on all year, and a huge reason for the ability to generate points at such an elite rate (Aggies rank 54th 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 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 - Former Player, Current AS Monaco)

            - 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.