Score: UC Davis 75, UC Irvine 72
Location: University Credit Union Center, Davis, Calif.
Records: UC Davis 11-7, 4-3 Big West | UC Irvine 12-7, 5-2 Big West
THE SHORT STORY: UC Davis broke a halftime tie with a strong second-half performance Saturday night at the University Credit Union Center, defeating UC Irvine 75-72 in Big West action. The Aggies placed four players in double figures, knocked down 11 three-pointers, and turned 14 forced turnovers into 20 points to secure the key home victory.
COURT SIDE
- Niko Rocak paced all scorers with 17 points while adding six rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. He connected on a career-high four three-pointers to lead UC Davis from beyond the arc.
- Carl Daughtery Jr. provided an immediate spark off the bench with 14 points, while Omer Suljanovic added 12 points, giving the Aggies 27 points from their reserves.
- Nils Cooper and Marcus Wilson led the defensive effort, each recording three steals on the night. UC Davis as a unit forced 14 turnovers while committing just 10.
- UC Davis led by Rocak's efforts from outside, shot 11-for-27 from three-point range.
- The Aggies collected 13 offensive rebounds, extending possessions and creating second-chance opportunities in the back and forth action.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UC Davis built their largest lead of the game capped by a basket from Daughtery Jr., to take a 39-30 lead with 3:24 remaining in the first half.
- UC Irvine closed the half strong though, tying the game at 42-42 at the break as UC Davis knocked down seven first-half three-pointers.
- The Anteaters briefly took a 44-42 lead early in the second half before UC Davis answered with a decisive 7-0 run, highlighted by a Suljanovic three-pointer, to reclaim the lead at 49-44 with 13:41 remaining.
- While this offense boosted UC Davis late, it was the defense from the Aggies leading the charge, holding the Anteaters to just 30 second half points, and below 40 percent from the field.
- UC Davis did this by capitalizing on eight UC Irvine turnovers in the second half, converting them into nine points, and held on late to seal the 75-72 win.
UP NEXT
UC Davis continues Big West play at home next week, hosting UC San Diego on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m.
