I've often thought that we fans have lost the value of every game for the game itself. The context of leagues and playoffs has resulted in the concept of a "meaningless" game, but for most athletes the game is context in itself, to be played to win. So my point is that the season might seem hopeless for UC Davis in that the chance of getting to the NCAAs or winning any kind of title is almost nonexistent. For myself now, each game becomes a chance to root for the team to play better and to win. It starts tomorrow with CSUN. Go Ags!

Games of Feb. 20

UC Santa Barbara (home, 18-10/9-7) 86, CSU Fullerton (6-2 2/1-15) 56
CSUN (19-7/11-4) 84,UC Irvine (home, 22-5/12-3) 72,
UC San Diego (23-4/13-2) 81, Cal Poly (home, 10-17/4-11) 67
UC Riverside (home, 18-10/11-5) 87, Long Beach State (7-20/3-12) 66

The Aggies loss today coupled with the wins by both CSUN and UCR really make the odds of UC Davis getting a first round bye look pretty small. It looks like UCI is starting to struggle. In addition to being hammered by UCSD and upset by CSUN, two of their victories have been by close even though they were in Irvine. The way they dismantled t4h Aggies makes me think the Tritons are the class of the Big West. One thing is now certain: Fullerton will not make the Big West tournament.

It would be too easy to say that the Aggies lost this game at the foul line since CSU Bakersfield outscored us there by 14 points, but the Ags didn't play very good defense, didn't rebound well especially on their own boards, and you can't blame the officials for calling a one-sided game. It's worth noting, too, that TY hit only 3 of 9 from inside the arc. It looks like there is something about the matchups against the Roadrunners that placed UCD at disadvantage.

I can't understand how these guys are only 5-10 in the Big West. They're a lot better than their record. They play good defense. They've out-rebounded UCD 20-10. They shoot well. What's their problem or do they only play well against the Ags?

It ranks right there with Oregon's old Donald Duck logo.

Scott noted that the Aggies can clinch a playoff spot with a win today.

I heard Bob Williams and Scott Marsh taking note of the fact that in football, a player can be in up to four games then still redshirt. If a basketball player plays even one game, he or she is no longer eligible for a redshirt. This makes no sense to me, but I haven't been able to find the rationale for it. Four football games is a fourth of a season. Four basketball games isn't even an eighth.

Does anyone know why the NCAA rules are so strict about basketball red shirts?

There's an odd geographical pattern here. It seems that the UC schools in the north (Berkeley, Davis, SF, Santa Cruz and Merced) are focusing on academics and do not have athletics as a high priority. The southern campuses (LA, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Irvine and Riverside) for whatever reason are no less focused on academics give a lot of support to their sports programs. Could the fan bases have something to do with it?

Can a market be described only by proximal demographics? I don't know, just looked at these college towns:
Pullman 32,901
Laramie 31,407
Corvallis 61,087
Provo 113,343
DeKalb 40,290 (Northern Illinois U.)

Games of Feb. 15

UC Riverside (home, 17-10/10-5) 81, UC Santa Barbara (16-10/8-7) 69
CSU Bakersfield (home, 11-16/5-10) 91, CSU Fullerton (6-21/1-13) 54
CSUN (home, 19-7/11-4) 89, Cal Poly (10-16/4-10) 85
UC Irvine (22-4/12-2) 66, Hawai`i (home, 14-12/6-9) 49

With the loss to UCSD, the Aggies are now alone in fifth place, but in a close grouping of four other schools: CSUN, UCSB and UCR. With CSUN at home next week, UCD has a chance to get within a game of them, although it would have been nice had Cal Poly upset the Mats.

The poor Titans can’t seem to beat anyone and that score was one of the more lopsided within the Big West this season. That was the one game that has little impact on the Ags standing, although it indicates that the Roadrunners can’t be taken lightly next week. Hawai`i’s loss helps the Aggies but it would have been great had Riverside lost as well as CSUN.

As good as San Diego is, the Ags did not play well, giving up more turnovers than assists and hitting less than a fourth of their 3 point tries. An upset was not in the cards, but I suspect Coach Les saw a lot of things the team failed to do. They definitely to get back to where they were in their sweep in SoCal last week if they want to have any chance for a tournament bye.

Yeah, the color guy doesn't even try to be objective. I was hoping the Ags would at least make the end of the game respectable and they didn't give up. The second half was close at 33-29.

Ags playing better D so far, plus UCSD unlikely to hit at the 70% rate they had the first half.

Last year's loss at Davis was 92-59. This one projects to be worse. You sure they aren't an NBA team?

It's pretty easy to see why these guys are 20-4 this season. I don't see this much talent AND depth in the conference.

Neither Sevilla nor Rocak started. Maybe Conner has some kind of injury or virus.

I wonder why the odd start time?

I wonder how much interest will increase when UC Davis starts playing the likes of UNLV, San Jose State, Air Force and New Mexico? Would that become more of a selling point with the general public in and around Davis than Fullerton and Bakersfield?

Agreed. I hope Mani continues to improve. Nils Cooper and Carl Daughtery have begun to make a solid contribution. Need the depth.