I second what everyone else has written. This is both mystifying and sad. Tonight had to be the worst game of the season considering the opponent. I mean losing by nearly 20 to a team that will not likely qualify for the playoffs does not bode well for the Aggies as we head down the stretch against Hawai`i, UCSD and the Beach. Even fourth place is starting to look shaky now.

I have to admit that Pepper is not shooting well. His shot looks fine from the foul line, but he has missed badly on most of his 3s. Generally, the team seems out of focus as they have the past five games. They're being outhustled by the Roadrunners. Note, for example, the difference in both rebounds and turnovers in the first half.

Eli has had trouble in the last two games. In the previous two (Hawaii and Long Beach) he got 29 and 32 points respectively. It looked to me that both UCR and CSUN had some success denying him the ball. He got a total of 23 shots in those games, while he had 25 in one game vs. Hawai`i. Here's where we hope that Coach Les figures out how to get him the ball.

Pepper made one incredible defensive play after he missed a baseline shot and ran all the way down to chase down a Matador who had a layup and was able to make a clean block. That got the broadcasters' attention.

So now the worst that UC Davis can finish is 11-9 good for at least 8th and a playoff spot, but if I understand the new tournament structure, they would get at least one bye by finishing 3rd or fourth. I don't know how much of an advantage it is having two byes and sitting around that long.

We certainly did not deserve it, but not only do we have TY to thank but the Matadors missed two shots at the very end, of which the last was a missed tip in, so we got lucky. With the exception of Bostick CSUN does not seem very talented, so I think the Ags earlier crushing of them was more illustrative of the difference in quality between the two teams. In other words, the guys still seem to be in a funk and if not for TY would have dropped their fourth in a row. Maybe they'll find their mojo in Bakersfield. (By the way, anyone know why CSUN is called the Matadors?)

Whoever is directing the broadcast is pretty clueless, showing replays over live action and cameras on the sidelines when a play is going on. Maybe some media production major at CSUN?

We're lucky that CSUN is only 5 of 11 from the foul line, but their number 0 is killing us having scored almost half their points on a lot of shots in the paint. Meanwhile Pepper is 0 for 6 despite a couple of good looks. Rocak, too, seems off his game.

It's distressing that so many teams in the Big West are hitting their stride as the playoffs approach, while UC Davis has badly stumbled. I'm hoping that we see things turn around tonight.

Hawai`i managed to lose despite hitting almost 53% of their 3s while the Gauchos only hit 26.7%. Rebounding and turnovers were about the same, so the main difference in the game seemed to be the second chance points, since UCSB got 11 offensive boards to Hawai`i's 4.

Another disappointing exhibition. Everyone talks about how momentum can shift within a game, but there is such a thing as momentum across a season as well. Through their first 12 conference games, UC Davis had a lot of momentum in wining a lot of close games but also winning half their games by double digit margins. From the road trip to Hawai`i and now two home game losses, the Ags seem to have lost their momentum mojo and for no reason that I can tell. The two things that stand out are that (1) they have shot 19 of 69 from 3, a 28% rate when shooting their normal 34% (prior to those games) would have resulted in two home wins. (2) They came out flat to start both home games and the second half in Hawai`i. Of course, these two things are in themselves inexplicable. All I know is, they need to figure out how to get their mojo back.

Hawai`i did not play a single road game before Big West play and I think it is to their detriment.

Good to see the Ags come back from a slow start, but it's mystifying how this is the third straight game where they came out flat and had to try to get back late. In this case, I hope they come all the way back. It's of concern that Pepper appears worn out and the team has yet to hit a 3. Good to see Milling score.

In the covid year, Pepper played in 18 games, then the next year, only 24, so he will have had roughy 4 and half years to break the record.

The way I see it, the Aggies have to win their four games, all of which they can reasonably be expected to win even though Hawai`i at Davis and CSUN on the road will be tough. Since they finish on the road at the Beach and UCSD that would give them a 14-6 record which might keep them in second place. They cannot afford to fall to 12-8.

It must be frustrating for Pepper to carry the scoring load while Johnson, Milling and Adebayo go 7 for 34 from the floor and the bench only added 6 points. Except for Eli, Rocak and--surprisingly--Borra the whole team played poorly. I wonder if the first half was a bit of a "hangover" from their loss to Hawai`i.

Not sure what happened at the end there, but it was a very disappointing loss, as it always is when you rally from behind to pull in front then can't put the game away. The Ags missed so many lay-ups!

I wonder what switch coach Les flipped to get the Ags to settle down in the second half? Whatever it was, it worked pretty well. Of course, Pepper's great shooting helps. Now they have to hold on and put a W on the board.

It's worse than that. Ags only have 30, shooting 32.4% and doing a poor job keeping the Beach off their offensive boards. LBSU has pulled down 12 offensive rebounds.

Seeing Scott Marsh reminds me that I was surprised to see him flash me a thumbs up sign in Hawai`i when he saw me wearing my UCD hoodie. I guess he does the radio broadcast?