DAVIS, Calif. — Ben Abosi recorded his first collegiate double-double with career highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds, leading UC Davis to a 65-52 win over Menlo on Thursday at University Credit Union Center.
The Aggies (1-1) held Menlo to 29.8% shooting and outrebounded the Oaks 47-41 to earn their first victory of the season and their first as a Mountain West member. Abosi scored 15 points after the break, helping UC Davis pull away after taking a 26-24 lead into halftime.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Menlo scored the game's first six points before Connor Sevilla helped the Aggies settle in. The San Ramon native started the game by knocking down two 3-pointers, where he scored eight of UC Davis' first 12 points as the Aggies moved in front, 12-9.
- UC Davis closed a back-and-forth opening half with five unanswered points. Chase Rawlins and Brayden Fagbemi scored consecutive layups before Omer Suljanovic added a free throw, turning a 24-21 deficit into a two-point halftime lead.
- The Oaks pulled even at 35 in the second half, but UC Davis regained the lead and later used a 9-0 run to create separation. Suljanovic opened the stretch with a tip-in, Abosi followed with a 3-pointer and a tip-in, and Aleks Szymczyk added a layup to stretch a 46-43 advantage to 55-43.
- Menlo got within nine down the stretch before Abosi's second 3-pointer of the night restored a 12-point cushion with about a minute remaining. Fagbemi scored the Aggies' final three points at the free-throw line to close out the win.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
- Abosi went 5 for 11 from the field, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and added two steals. Four of his 10 rebounds came on the offensive end, giving him 10 offensive rebounds through his first two games as an Aggie.
- Fagbemi finished with seven points, a game-high seven assists, five rebounds and two steals, committing just two turnovers.
- Suljanovic matched Abosi with 10 rebounds and added eight points. Eight of his rebounds came after halftime.
- Rawlins scored eight points on 3-for-4 shooting and contributed three rebounds and two steals. Sevilla and Jalen Stokes also finished with eight points apiece.
- Ylan Esso-Essis scored his first points as an Aggie on a second-chance layup and added two rebounds and two steals.
STATS SPOTLIGHT
- UC Davis outrebounded Menlo 28-18 in the second half and scored all 11 of its second-chance points after the break. The Aggies have outrebounded both of their opponents to begin season.
- The Aggies collected 10 steals for the second straight game and scored 18 points off 15 Menlo turnovers. UC Davis also held a 19-3 edge in fast-break points.
- UC Davis shot 21 for 57 (36.8%) overall, while Menlo finished 17 for 57 (29.8%). The Aggies held a 32-24 advantage in points in the paint and a 30-28 edge in bench scoring.
- Quentin Thompson led Menlo with a game-high 21 points and seven rebounds.
NOTES
- Abosi and Suljanovic gave UC Davis two players with at least 10 rebounds in the same game for the first time since Nov. 5, 2024, at Washington.
- Fagbemi has 953 collegiate points, 47 shy of 1,000, across his time at Johns Hopkins, Central Arkansas and UC Davis.
- UC Davis held an opponent below 30% shooting for the 16th time since 2007-08 and the first time since Pacific Union on Dec. 28, 2025.
- Head coach Jim Les earned his 230th win at UC Davis and 384th career victory, leaving him 16 shy of 400.
- UC Davis has won seven straight against Menlo and leads the all-time series 9-2.
UP NEXT
UC Davis concludes its opening homestand against Incarnate Word on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at University Credit Union Center. The Veterans Day matchup tips off at 11:11 a.m. PT and will stream 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 No. 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.
