Score: UC Davis 74, Idaho 66
Location: Davis, Calif.
Records: UC Davis 7-4 (2-0), Idaho 4-8 (0-0)
The short story: In a rematch against the Idaho Vandals,
Niko Rocak filled up the stat sheet with a double-double, recording 13 points and 11 rebounds, to lead UC Davis to a 74-66 victory Wednesday night at the University Credit Union Center.
COURT SIDE
- TY Johnson dropped a team-high 19 points and swiped four steals, leading four Aggies in double figures on the night
- Niko Rocak not only tacked on a double-double but also dominated the offensive glass, pulling down four offensive boards to fuel the UC Davis offense
- He also anchored the defense with four blocks and four steals, tying Johnson for the team-high in steals
- Leo DeBruhl contributed 11 points and dished out six assists, orchestrating the offense
- DeBruhl, with his 11 points, reached double figures for the fourth straight game and continued his streak of making a three-pointer in all 11 games this season
- Connor Sevilla spaced the floor for the Aggies, hitting two clutch threes and finishing the night with 10 points
- UC Davis' defense held Idaho to 36.2% shooting from the field, including just 25% from beyond the arc
- UC Davis had a 41-33 edge on the boards and forced 15 turnovers
- The Aggies were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying six blocks as a team and collecting 15 offensive boards
- UC Davis never trailed throughout the game
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UC Davis asserted their presence early, going on an 8-0 run to take a 10-2 lead at the 18:20 mark
- In the first half, the trio of Rocak, Johnson, and Tamba controlled the flow, with Johnson reaching double figures with 11 points after the first 20 minutes, while Rocak flirted with a double-double with seven points and seven rebounds
- The Aggies maintained their advantage into halftime with a 32-25 lead
- UC Davis' momentum allowed them to extend their lead with a 10-0 run, capped by Nils Cooper's layup, pushing the margin to 46-30 with 13:56 remaining, giving them the biggest lead of the night
- The Vandals fought back, responding with a 9-0 run, but the Aggies delivered another double-digit gap after the four-minute media timeout, taking a 15-point advantage at the 3:18 mark
- The lead was somewhat threatened as the game got closer during the final minutes, with free throws dictating the pace, but eventually, the Aggies came away with a 74-66 win
UP NEXT: UC Davis will look to make it five straight this Saturday, visiting Pepperdine at 12 p.m. PT. Last season against the Waves, the Aggies had one of the most thrilling games of the season, winning with a last second layup from Johnson to erase a 19-point deficit.
