DAVIS, Calif. — Jalen Stokes scored 16 points to lead five Aggies in double figures, but UC Davis fell to North Alabama, 79-75, in Monday's season opener at University Credit Union Center.
Playing its first game as a Mountain West member before a crowd of 1,872, UC Davis (0-1) built an early 13-point lead and took a 45-36 advantage into halftime. North Alabama (1-0) attempted just two free throws in the opening half but went 19-for-26 at the line after the break, helping the Lions erase the deficit and finish a back-and-forth second half in front.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Isaiah Chappell knocked down two early three-pointers, and Stokes turned a steal into a dunk as UC Davis scored the game's first nine points. Aleks Szymczyk added a three to extend the early lead to 15-2.
- North Alabama rallied, but UC Davis finished the opening half strong. Brayden Fagbemi helped the Aggies regain separation before an 8-0 run pushed the lead back into double figures. UC Davis forced 11 first-half turnovers and turned them into 15 points, carrying a nine-point lead into the break.
- The Lions cut their turnovers to five in the second half and went 19-for-26 at the free-throw line as they worked their way back.
- Ben Abosi and Stokes each delivered late baskets to put the Aggies back in front, but a Caden Harris three-pointer gave North Alabama the lead for good. Quan Lax followed with a layup off an inbound turnover, and the Lions scored their final seven points at the line to hold off the Aggies.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
- Stokes added six rebounds to his team-high 16 points and finished 5-for-12 from the field.
- Chappell and Connor Sevilla each scored 12 points. Chappell went 4-for-7 from three-point range and added four rebounds.
- Fagbemi finished with 13 points, a team-high five assists and a game-high three steals, committing just one turnover in 29 minutes.
- Abosi contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and one steal in his UC Davis debut. Six of his rebounds came on the offensive end.
- Ylan Esso-Essis collected three rebounds in 12 minutes in his UC Davis debut.
STATS SPOTLIGHT
- UC Davis recorded 10 steals and held a 21-15 advantage in points off turnovers, forcing 16.
- The Aggies shot 23-for-59 (39.0%) overall and 8-for-25 (32.0%) from three-point range. North Alabama finished at 47.1% overall and 37.0% from beyond the arc.
- Lax led all scorers with 19 points off the bench, while Mike Evbagharu added 12 points and 10 rebounds for North Alabama.
UP NEXT
UC Davis hosts Menlo on Thursday, Nov. 5, at University Credit Union Center. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. PT, with the game streaming on MW+.
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS
UC Davis Athletics represents one of the nation's premier public universities on the NCAA Division I stage, with more than 650 student-athletes competing across 25 sports, including 16 programs in the Mountain West Conference. Located in California's quintessential college town, UC Davis combines championship-level athletics with the academic excellence of the nation's #8 public research university and is home to the nation's No. 1 programs in agriculture, veterinary medicine and sustainability. With a growing national media presence, bold investments in facilities and the student-athlete experience, and a tradition of developing champions in competition, in the classroom and beyond, the Aggies are elevating UC Davis on a national stage.
