GAME 14
UC DAVIS (7-6, 0-1 BIG WEST) VS. UC IRVINE (8-5, 1-0 BIG WEST)
THURSDAY, JAN. 5 | 6 P.M. | UNIVERSITY CREDIT UNION CENTER | DAVIS, CALIF.
TICKETS **
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS

GAME 15
UC DAVIS (7-6, 0-1 BIG WEST) VS. CSU BAKERSFIELD (4-9, 0-2 BIG WEST)
SATURDAY, JAN. 7 | 5 P.M. | UNIVERSITY CREDIT UNION CENTER | DAVIS, CALIF.
TICKETS **
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS


Davis, Calif. — Kicking off the 2023 year with a pair of home contests, the UC Davis Men's Basketball Team is set to host two Big West opponents this week in the form of UC Irvine and CSU Bakersfield. After dropping the Big West opener last Thursday in Hawai'i, the Aggies are looking to find themselves back in the win column to start the new year.

** TICKET INFO **

• Buy a ticket for Thursday's Game versus UC Irvine OR Saturday's Game versus Cal State Bakersfield and get ANY OTHER game this season for 50% off! To redeem this special offer, visit www.goagspromo.com and enter the code MBBOGO.

THE TIP OFF

• Last time out, the Aggies were defeated by Hawai'i, 74-66.
• A back and forth battle for most of the night, UC Davis leaned on its lone senior, Christian Anigwe to keep them in the game against the Rainbow Warriors. Anigwe led the team with 21 points, just shy of his career-high 22 he set earlier in the year against Sacramento State. He also brought down eight rebounds and collected three steals.
• UC Davis finished the month of December 1-4.
• The clash against UC Irvine presents the two highest scoring offenses in the Big West. After leading the conference in scoring for most of the year, UC Davis is now second in the Big West in points per game, averaging 77.2 points per game, compared to UC Irvine's, 77.8.
• Looking to snap a three-game losing streak, the Aggies will be looking to find their groove offensively again as UC Davis has been held below 70 points in three straight contests. 
• The Ags still are among the best in the nation in rebounding, ranking inside the top-50 in all meaningful rebounding categories, while being tied for 14th in total rebounding. 
• UC Davis still boasts an impressive 25.2 free throw attempts per game, ranking 12th in the nation.
• Taking advantage of opportunities in transition, UC Davis is 29th in Pace according to CBB Ref. 
• According to Kenpom's AdjEM, the Aggies rank 185th in the nation.

ABOUT THE ANTEATERS

• Led by Head Coach Russell Turner, the Anteaters came into the season picked fourth in the Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Entering the contest this week with an 8-5 record, the Anteaters are 1-0 to start Big West play after picking up a 79-75 victory over CSU Bakersfield on Saturday.
• Leading the charge for Turner's squad is Dawson Baker, and Nov. 14 Big West Player of the Week, DJ Davis. Baker and Davis come in as the 10th and 11th leading scorers among Big West players with both averaging just under 14 points a game.
• UC Irvine is a team that can rely on a multitude of options on any given night and have some of the best depth up and down their rotation in all of the country. Three times this year, the 'Eaters have had five players record double-digit scoring marks in the same game.
• A big factor of their offense this is their ability to hit on 40.5% of their three point attempts, good for 7th among D1 teams.
• A balanced team through and throughout, the Anteaters are ranked inside Kenpom's top-100 for AdjEM where they clock in at 97th.
• Battle-tested as well, UC Irvine carries a huge win on their resume this year after taking down Oregon in Eugene, and nearly upsetting San Diego State.

SERIES INFO

• The Aggies and Anteaters haven't played since the 2019-20 season.
• Last time these squads met, back on Feb. 6, 2020, UC Davis lost by a score of 83-72.
• UC Irvine has won the last four meetings against UC Davis, with the last Aggie win occurring during the 2017-18 season.
• All-time, the Aggies trail the series 18-27.

ABOUT THE ROADRUNNERS

• The Roadrunners are led by head coach, Rod Barnes who is in his 12th year at CSU Bakersfield.
• Off to a 4-9 start, the Roadrunners came into the year projected to finish 8th in the Big West.
• The focal point for Barnes is none other than Kaleb Higgins, who is leading the team in scoring, averaging 13.5 points per night. Higgins is the only Roadrunner ranking inside the top-25 of Big West scorers.
• A team that is known for their defense, Coach Barnes leans on his 35th ranked scoring defense. The Roadrunners are the second ranked defense in the Big West, trailing only Hawai'i.
• The 'Runners are ranked 288th in Kenpom's AdjEM.
• Entering the week 0-2 in Big West play, the Roadrunners have a date scheduled with Cal Poly on Thursday before visiting Davis for the Saturday night tilt.

SERIES INFO

• While the Aggies trail the all-time series against the Roadrunners, 13-29, UC Davis is winners of the last four matchups.
• The last meeting between the two programs took place on Feb. 19, 2022, a matchup that saw UC Davis win 81-79. Elijah Pepper was the game's leading scorer with 24 points.

UP NEXT

• Following the two contests this week, UC Davis will be back on the road, Wednesday, Jan. 11 as the Aggies are scheduled to take on CSUN with tip off scheduled for 7 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 UC Irvine with 1,138 points and overtook Mark Ford as the 17th 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 77.2 points per game.
• Possessing the second leading conference scorer Elijah Pepper, the Aggies are also paced by transfer, Ty Johnson.
• Johnson is averaging 15.7 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 29th 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.

• Buy a ticket for Thursday's Game versus UC Irvine OR Saturday's Game versus Cal State Bakersfield and get ANY OTHER game this season for 50% off! To redeem this special offer, visit www.goagspromo.com and enter the code MBBOGO.