Thanks for the info on Jackson. I agree that depth is nice to have, but mostly in the event of injuries or other problems. In my experience, though, what really matters is effective depth, meaning that you have to have 8-10 players with enough ability and game minutes to create a good bench. So UC Davis had at least 10 prior to Moneke going out. Two factors weigh against the Aggies in this respect: first, they play a very tight defense and that requires a lot of stamina. Second when games go into overtime or you have to play in 3 consecutive games, i.e., the tournament final, depth can be a factor. It is worth noting, on the other hand, that whomever they face in the final (assuming they get there) will also have played two previous games and the schedule favors the Aggies, e.g. if they beat Riverside, their game ends around 2 p.m., but their next opponent will have played until about 10:30 that same night. As for overtimes, it seems that the Ags have a knack for keeping it together in their 3 OTs (without Chima) this season. I'm trying to be optimistic.

Just for memory sake, because everything is different now: Bob Hamilton used to schedule not only teams like Santa Clara (when they were very strong), but would take the team on a 3-game road trip to the east. If my memory serves, they played teams like Ohio State, Minnesota and Memphis. I knew a few players on those teams and they told me that Coach Hamilton's philosophy was that if you play the best teams you learn a lot more, even if you get smacked by them.

Interesting story. Back in 1968, when Santa Clara was a rival for western dominance with UCLA, Sports Illustrated ran a story about Santa Clara noting that they had "swatted a few mosquitoes" like UC Davis. A friend of mine, Dave Crawford, wrote in umbrage to SI and his letter got printed! He wrote about the Aggies then dominance of the Far Western Conference. He showed that issue to everyone he knew.

I have not seen Delveion Jackson play this season so all I know about him is from his bio and stats. Sounds like he was a pretty good high school player, but he does not seem to have done much this season. Can I ask one of you to fill me on why this group is so focused on him? Does he pass the "eye test?"

Not to try to "one-up"BlueGoldAg" but I've been watching Aggie basketball for over 50 years now and their teams have given me more excitement than any team in any sport I have ever followed (this includes the 49ers). There have been some very solid teams, coached by some excellent men from Bob Hamilton to Jim Les, but this team is the best for their ability to reach down for that something extra when the game is on the line and the situation seems hopeless to pull it out. They certainly did that last night in the first overtime. While giving TJ Shorts all the credit that is due to a phenomenal performance (drawing fouls, grabbing rebounds, two great steals, and his shooting) this was a total team effort. Goode and Schneider stepped up in the first half, and when Irvine tried to shut them down, TJ and AJ took over. Mooney, Russell, Onyebalu, Printup, they all did their part, Coach Les making good use of his bench to keep them as fresh as a double OT can allow. This is a team for the ages, even better to watch than the 1998 team, no matter what happens next.

Heart and grit!!!!!

UCSB is up by 24 on Cal Poly with 5 minutes left, so the Ags win or settle for 3rd seed.

UCI up 35-32 at the half, but it's been a dogfight.

Hawaii just beat Fullerton 68-60.

According to ESPN, the Ags have a 29.6% chance of winning the game tonight and, of course, the chances of getting the #1 seed a certain berth in the NIT if they do not win the Big West Tournament. I am not sure how ESPN gets these probabilities, but assuming they are even remotely accurate, I figure that if they lose, their chances of getting the #2 seed are 1%, the #3 seed 18% and the #4 seed 48.6%. These percentages are based on gauchodan's analysis of what CSUF and UCSB need to do, plus a multiplication of ESPN's probabilities of their doing it.

The Aggies are 5-11 against the Anteaters in Irvine, but only 2-8 since joining the Big West.

Probabilities and history, however, do not tell the story. BlueGoldAg paints a scary, but accurate picture of UCI's prowess, but in games like this, it often comes down to heart and grit and I have never seen a team with more of both than this year's team, especially after Chima was suspended. I agree that this will be a war with both teams playing well lately. I hope the officiating is not a factor.

Drammeh was the guy who hit Chima in the face with the ball out here in Hawaii. He's basically a poor sport.

Zander, Yes, that was my analysis, but thanks for sending me the link to gauchodon's breakdown. That was a very thorough explanation of every team's scenarios and he did it more than once last night. He's really on it. Bottom line is what bluegoldag wrote: UC Davis controls its own destiny and that's the best way to go. Glad my fellow fans had a better time of it against Hawaii than I did out here in Honolulu, but honestly, the Warriors are a mystery. Good team then bad team. Who knows which team will show up at Fullerton? Hope the good ones arrive to beat the Titans.

Zander,

If UCSB, CSUF and UCI all win how would that work? Would the Ags be in 4th place because they have the worst record against the other two? That would be bad because we would most likely play Long Beach, a much better team than any of the lowest 3. If that is the case, we must beat Irvine because I do not see either Fullerton nor the Gauchos losing on Saturday. Of course, this is the wacky Big West.

Amazing stea; recovery and layup by TJ.

Hawaii is playing very poorly. 12 turnovers in the first half. 18.2% from 3. Great defense by the Ags. Keep it up guys.

Do they still yell Bossy Cow-Cow at games? I haven't heard it the few times I've been to Davis since... Well, a lonnngg time ago.

Hawaii has a 9-5 series advantage over UCD and that includes being 3-3 at Davis. The Honolulu paper stated that the team was preparing two game plans, one including Chima, just in case. In the lead of that article, it mentioned that the Hawaii players considered Chima to be their MVP in the game out here because of his 9 turnovers. I hope that's a good locker room bulletin board post for the Ags on Senior night. A real shame for Chima, too.

Hawai'i will be tough despite their 7-7 record, 3-3 on the road. This team is hard to figure. They beat Irvine at Irvine then lost to them here. An X-factor for you folks to watch for is Zigmars Raimo, a very tough Latvian power forward whose game has developed well lately. He is a rugged board man who can score inside. I doubt he will start but he has been logging more minutes recently and could come off the bench early. Also watch for Brocke Stepteau, their regular point guard who missed the game against the Aggies in Honolulu. He's not as quick as TJ and is not as clever in going to the hoop, but he can defend and contributes on offense. Look for him to be part of a 3-guard starting lineup. I hope Jack Purchase will be as cold in Davis as he was against the Anteaters.

Go Ags!

If we all feel this way, think about how Coach Les and Chima's team-mates feel? I suspect that teh Coach knows a lot about this, but he cannot talk about it.

If Hawaii had played as well against UCI as they did against the Ags, they would have won that game. As it was, the shot under 35% from the floor and 57% from the foul line. (Does it seem to anyone else that Big West refs call way too many fouls?) Jack Purchase who burned UCD for 21, got exactly 1 against UCI. Their defense was also spotty; as solid sometimes as they were against us, but odd;y porous at other times. Irvine has a huge but unathletic frontcourt. They can (and often did) average 6' 9". Hawaii countered with 3 guards. The good news is that if Hawaii cannot do better they will lose when they visit Davis. The bad news is that the Anteaters could be peaking by the end of the season. They play good defense and balanced scoring. It could come down to that final game.

I'll be at the UCI-Hawaii game in about an hour, cheering for the Ags, uhm, I mean Hawaii.:cool:

I just checked my on-line dictionary under the word "clutch" and there was a picture of T. J. Shorts, Big West Player of the Year!