HENDERSON, Nev. — The season, marked by thrilling moments, and significant achievements full of Aggie Pride, reached its culmination on Saturday night. The UC Davis Men's Basketball team wrapped up their 2023-24 campaign with a defeat, falling 74-70 to Long Beach State in the Big West Championship Final. UC Davis finished the season with a 20-13 record.
Ty Johnson scored a game-high 30 points with Elijah Pepper contributing 21 points to the Aggie effort.
Johnson's remarkable performance, which included six rebounds and four assists, alongside Pepper's nine rebounds and three assists, spearheaded the Aggies' charge.
Long Beach State was led on the night by Lassina Traore, and Marcus Tsohonis, as the pair each chipped in with 25 points for the Beach.
A battle on both ends of the floor with every possession mattering, to Long Beach State's credit, they were able to play smart basketball all-night and didn't allow UC Davis' 24th ranked turnovers forced defense to dictate the game. This was a key for the Beach, only turning the ball over five times on the night. This in addition to Long Beach State's ability to score 18 second chance points on 14 offensive rebounds proved pivotal.
UC Davis themselves excelled in offensive rebounding, with Milling leading the charge with two offensive boards. The team collectively secured 11 rebounds, which translated into 10 second-chance points.
Despite the loss, the defensive efforts from UC Davis was effective, limiting Long Beach State to 38.6 percent from the field. This alongside UC Davis' 11 points in transition is where the Aggies had the most success on the night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC Davis overcame an early 15-5 shortfall, igniting a 12-0 surge with 10:37 remaining in the opening half. This offensive onslaught was punctuated by a layup Johnson, propelling the Aggies to a 17-15 lead to give UC Davis their first one of the game.
By the close of the half, the Aggies slightly bolstered their lead, and entered the locker room with a 32-27 advantage. The Aggies' success in the first half was particularly due to their scoring in the paint, where they amassed 16 of their 32 points.
As the game progressed, Long Beach State managed to carve out a 66-60 lead, only for UC Davis to respond with a 5-0 run, ending in a Johnson jumper that narrowed the gap to 66-65 with just 1:57 left on the clock. Long Beach State would unfortunately respond and outscored the Aggies the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 74-70.
GAME NOTES
» The Aggies held the Beach to only 38.6 percent shooting from the field.
» Ty Johnson had a game-high 30 points and Elijah Pepper added 21.
» UC Davis got a team-high nine rebounds from Elijah Pepper.
