Score: UC Davis 76, Long Beach State 70 (OT)
Location: LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid (Long Beach, Calif.)
Records: UC Davis (18-12, 11-8 Big West)
THE SHORT STORY: UC Davis secured a vital conference road victory to bolster their Big West tournament positioning, outlasting Long Beach State 76-70 in overtime on Thursday night. Marcus Wilson led all scorers with a game-high 30 points, while Niko Rocak anchored the interior with nine points, a game-high 13 rebounds, and four blocks. The Aggies forced the extra period with heavy second-half ball pressure and sealed the hard-fought win at the charity stripe.
COURT SIDE
- Marcus Wilson carried the offensive load, pouring in a game-high 30 points. Wilson was relentless attacking the rim, finishing the night 8-18 from the floor, while converting 13 of his 18 free-throw attempts. He also added five rebounds.
- Niko Rocak was an absolute force in the paint, scoring nine points, pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds, and swatting four shots. This marked his seventh game this season with three or more blocks. He now has 150 career blocks, trailing the all-time program record by just four.
- Brayden Fagbemi and Omer Suljanovic provided essential supplementary scoring, each tallying 11 points. Fagbemi dished out four assists, while Suljanovic hauled in six rebounds.
- Carl Daughtery Jr. added five points, six rebounds, and two steals to round out the starting lineup's production.
- As a team, the Aggies made a concerted effort to take advantage of extra possessions, scoring 21 points off turnovers on the night.
- UC Davis also made its living at the charity stripe tonight, converting 24 of 32 free-throw attempts (.750) to aid the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UC Davis initiated the scoring with a downhill drive and layup from Wilson, establishing an early 5-2 advantage three minutes in after a Daughtery Jr. 3-pointer.
- Long Beach State responded by, taking a 12-11 lead and eventually using transition opportunities to take a 34-31 advantage into the locker room. The Aggies got a much needed bucket to end the half from Chase Rawlins who got a layup to count on a goaltending call.
- The Beach opened the second frame with a 3-pointer from Shaquil Bender, extending their margin.
- Wilson continued however to manufacture offense by drawing contact to chip away at the lead, and Isaiah Chappell followed with a timely triple at the 11:37 mark to pull UC Davis within a single possession.
- The Aggies deployed an aggressive defensive front to outscore Long Beach State 31-28 in the second half, turning defense into offense with 14 points off turnovers.
- A three-point play through contact by Wilson gave UC Davis a brief 56-53 lead at the 7:04 mark before defensive stops on both ends deadlocked the game at 62-62 to conclude regulation.
- In overtime, Rocak came through with a strong and-one finish at 4:05 to push UC Davis ahead for a 65-64 lead. Brayden Fagbemi then extended the advantage to two possessions with a dagger 3-pointer off the glass at 3:11.
- Wilson converted a layup with 26 seconds remaining to push the Aggies' lead to five, and Fagbemi iced the contest at the free-throw line in the closing seconds to secure the 76-70 win.
UP NEXT
UC Davis travels to Irvine, Calif. to close the regular season against UC Irvine. The Aggies and Anteaters will tip off on Saturday, March 7 at 5 p.m. on ESPNU.
