Nice preview BGA.
The full preview of Davis I wrote, inclusive of the info above, can be found on the Gaucho board.
Below is a season update on the Gauchos:
Gaucho Update

Season summary
At 17-5, it can be said that Coach Pasternack has been successful in integrating so many new pieces after a massive roster turnover from last year. Last year’s star player, Max Heidegger, with two consecutive 20+ games on high % shooting seems to be back after dealing with injuries and shaking off the rust the first 2/3 of the season. Even with Max now back in the starting lineup, the Gauchos have 4 new starters from a year ago.

Despite leading the conference in scoring defense, KenPom rates the defense below average, ~185, having played one of the weakest schedules in the country factoring into that low rating. The Gauchos started the season as a mediocre three-point shooting team but have improved in this regard outside of the still rusty Max Heidegger (but he has been on fire the last two games). Three of the starters (Ramsey, McLaughlin and Davis) are coming back after a year off so some early season rustiness was not surprising. Ar’Mond Davis in particular has really stepped up and has taken over the team scoring lead while also being a high energy rebounder. Point Guard Devearl Ramsey has taken on the leadership role for the Gauchos and is doing a very nice job running the offense. He is a good three point shooter while showing off his quickness in penetrating deep into the defense. Team chemistry is impressive, especially given how new they all are to each other. They are unselfish and adept at getting the hot hand the open looks on offense; with 7 different players having led the team in scoring this year and three players averaging more than 3 assists per game.

Trend: In Big West Play, UCSB has defeated all but the other top two teams in conference, CSF & UCI. It could be said that in the past two games, the Gauchos are finally at full strength with Max Heidegger reverting to his last year’s All Big West form. As the season has progressed, the workload for the starters and 6th man Jariesse Blackmon has increased. The Gaucho defense has been improving, tops in the conference in points allowed and climbing to a 185 Efficiency Rating (Kenpom) from a low of about 245.

The Roster
The Gauchos experienced major turnover from last year and with leading returner Max Heidegger out for much of the season, played an entirely new starting 5 for all but five games this year. Besides the major roster turnover, the biggest difference is depth. After going 12 men deep early, Pasternack has settled on a 10 man rotation. Four of five starters average double figures; the bench is providing about 28% of the offense compared to 17% last season. With Max back in the starting lineup the Gauchos now have a short starting lineup with three guards, a wing and one true big, but have a very tall bench.

Probable Starters
Devearl Ramsey: #4 PG, RS Sophomore. 6’0”, 185 lb 11.2 ppg, 3.7 apg, 3.3 rpg, 31 mpg, 43% from the field, 39% from three and 82% from the FT line. A very athletic and exciting point guard that can drive, Ramsey is eligible this year after the requisite red shirt season after transferring from Nevada. A highly recruited 3-4* player out of high school, his defense is fantastic and helps UCSB shore up it’s Achilles heel from last year, guarding quick point guards. He has become the most accurate shooter from deep for the Gauchos, showing massive improvement as the season has progressed. A vocal leader, he has been named team captain. His aggressive play and ability to penetrate defenses creates opportunities. His blitzkrieg approach sometimes leads to him forcing the issue and make poor passes leading to turnovers, has a 1.6 A/TO ratio. His scoring has dropped over the past couple games as Max has come back.

Max Heidegger: #21 Guard, Junior. 6‘3”, 180 lb, 10.2, ppg, 86% FTs, 24% from deep, 3.2 apg. ATO ratio of 4.4, 27 mpg. Has played just 11 games after sitting out much of the season with a concussion and a minor leg injury. The Gauchos star player from a year ago, Max had one of the biggest leaps in improvement in Gaucho hoops history from his freshman to sophomore years. An amazing talent, he is a terrific three pointer shooter with NBA range, setting the school record for threes, and can drive & finish. A very capable ball handler, he can run the point but will play the off-guard position most of the time. He seems to be getting his fitness back but his shooting from outside was atrocious up until the last two games. He has been more of a facilitator this season vs. last, so in some respects, he is a more well-rounded player now.

JaQuori McLaughlin, #3 Guard, RS Sophomore 6’4, 190 lb 10.8 ppg, 3.1 apg, 35% from three, 32 mpg. Another transfer, McLaughlin came to UCSB from Oregon State where he set the freshman record for three pointers made. He can play either guard position. He is the fourth Gaucho averaging double figures and is second in assists but gets most praise from Coach Pasternack for his defense. As a starting shooting guard and a back-up point, he leads the team in minutes played. After a bit of a slow shooting start, he has really improved, and has provided some clutch offense in close games. Like Ramsey, his scoring has dropped with Heidegger taking more shots.

Ar’Mond Davis: #1 Wing, 6‘6”, 190 lb 14.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 43% FG, 39% from three, 1.7 apg, 29 mpg. Grad Transfer (Alabama). Davis sat out last year with an injury after playing the 6th man role at Alabama his junior year. Prior, he excelled at the College of Southern Idaho, earning a top 5 ranking at the JC level so has had just one year of D1 experience before UCSB. He is athletic and loves to score but has been doing a great job on the boards too, second on the team. He is the go-to guy for the Gauchos on offense. He can drive through the paint or hit from deep, shooting an amazing 56% there in BW play. Leads the team in scoring, three point shooting and FT attempts, hitting them at 77%. He is high energy on the rebounding front and is second on the team in that category.

Amadou Sow: #12 Forward, Freshman, 6’9”, 235 lb 11.2 ppg on 57% shooting, 6.6 rbg. 23 mpg. One of the more highly rated recruits in Gaucho history, Sow turned down the likes of Cal, Illinois and Wichita State to come to UCSB. The athletic freshman demonstrated range to outside the arc in high school but has sticks to patrolling the paint at UCSB. The only true big that starts, Sow is showing improvement in his defense. Still suffers freshman mistakes at times and needs to improve on handling double-teams—only 5 assists on the season. Is a bit up & down, had a monster game vs. USF, earning him BW POW honors but followed it up with a stinker vs. Cal Poly. Is coming off a double-double vs. Hawaii and a near double-double vs. CSUN.

Main Reserves
Jarriese Blackmon: #2 Forward, Senior, 6’7”, 220 lb 4.9 ppg, 4.3 rbg, 20 mpg The “Glue Guy” for the Gauchos, Blackmon’s high energy and athleticism earned him the starting role while Heidegger was injured. Blackmon leads the team in blocks and is third in rebounding. He has impressed all the Gaucho fans with just how much he has improved in all facets of his game over last year. His defense is terrific, his unselfishness and team-first attitude deserve a lot of credit in setting an example for all the new players and is a big reason why team chemistry is so good on this team. He has some decent moves within the arc and is shooting 53% from the field.

Jay Nagle: #5 Wing, Freshman. 6’8”, 205 lb 3.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 45% from three The son of basketball coach, Nagle was the first HS recruit signed by Pasternack. A terrific outside shooter but not the quickest or best athlete, he is still effective on defense with high basketball IQ. His minutes have been eaten up some by Heidegger.

Robinson Idehen: #35 F/C, Sophomore, 6’10”, 230 lb 4.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg. 11 mpg Shooting 70% from the field. A JC transfer, the strong & athletic forward improved over the pre-conference season. Still raw at times.

Sekou Toure: #0 Guard, Freshman, 6’5”, 185 lb 3.8 ppg, 2.7 rbg 9 mpg Lightly recruited, Toure made great strides his senior year at Prolific Prep where Sow also attended, averaging 16ppg and 8 boards; UCSB may have got a steal in him. Toure has terrific skills in slashing through the defense and finishing. His defense is good, but, like a typical freshman, his decision making isn’t a strong suit.

Ami Lakoju: #14 Center, Senior, 6’9” 260 lb, 2.7 ppg, 2 rpg, 7 mpg A physical presence, Ami has been prone to foul trouble over his career and is struggled with that earlier this season. Has seen his minutes replaced by Idehen & Blackmon. Has had two double-double games, both against non-D1 competition.

UCD-UCSB History/Game 1 Recap
This will be the 69th meeting between the schools with the Gauchos holding a 39-29 advantage. The Gauchos defeated the Aggies 69-58 in Davis in January starting a new winning streak. Armond Davis led the way with 23 points and 8 rebounds while both Nagle & McLaughlin pitched in with a pair of three pointers each. The Gauchos out rebounded the Aggies 37-21

Forgot the link to the Gaucho board/preview:
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/ucsbgauchos/uc-davis-game-t22893.html
My preview is several posts down in the thread.

No nuefield?

I believe I’m the only one at the Livermore Shriners crab feed watching this

After a very slow start, 31-25 Ags at half :).

Any word on nuefield? No John also?

John has been in for a few minutes. Not sure what's up with Neufeld. Les is playing lots of different combos of players. Our defense has been great but the height of the Gauchos is making it tough for us on the defensive boards.

Really liked this half of Aggie basketball. Didn't have to play great the whole time, just kept it close when we were struggling for points and then kept the momentum going once a few things started going the Ags' way. Brings me back to some of the gutty ESPN wins from back in the day

We ended up shooting 52% in spite of the very slow start and held UCSB to 39%. We can win this game if we continue to play defense like that for another 20 minutes.

Joe "Buddy Heild" Mooney

Gutsy win. Back in the race for the top half.

Shorts is pretty good. I’m just saying. John was good. A lot of contributions from guys like gonzo, goode and Mooney. Fun watching the last half

61-57, Ags. Great win for the guys!

Amazing win. It feels like last year. Just figuring out ways to win. Wild big west!

Best win of the season by far! Awesome defense by the Aggies. I love that even when they miss a open layup they hustle back on defense and lock down. No hanging their heads and taking a play off...just hard nosed defense.

I know we're probably not competing for a title this year without serious chaos, but...

It just feels like we're back. Especially with the schedule ahead -- even with all the usual chaos in the conference, everyone has to especially fear the Aggies, the way it should be in the Big West.

That NBA 3 by Mooney with the score tied late was an ice cold dagger. Gutsy long range bomb. Good for Joe!

In the post-game radio interview Les said that Neufeld is "ailing" and they hope he gets healthy this week. He credited the whole team for being locked in on defense and praised the toughness and play of TJ and AJ. Lastly, he said, "It's going to be a long, happy bus ride home."

What a great game! I was not ready to see the Ags upset UCSB down in the Thunderdome. I don't think I've ever seen a performance with more heart than what TJ did tonight. The Gauchos had no answer for him and he kept getting knocked down, literally, and getting back up. Nice contributions from Mooney and John. The only disappointment was Schneider who had fewer points than turnovers and fouls (Has anyone ever heard him get called the "Red Rifle?") and the high number of missed bunnies (Ags could have won by double digits). I think this bodes well for the rest of the season, especially the playoffs. This is the team I saw last year.

I'm pretty sure the color commentator made up the nickname on the spot, not that I'm complaining. This commentator crew was actually pretty entertaining, as far as late-night ESPN units go:

"All UCSB has to do is make two free throws, miss the third, and get it to bounce outside for the three. Easy, right?"

"I've done it!"

"Wait, you have?"

Is there anyway to watch this replay?

yes via the watch espn app

You can watch the replay here:

http://www.espn.com/watch/player?bucketId=5912&id=fa6fcd23-133e-4ad5-a14d-14b5ea6603f9

That Mooney shot was the type that we weren’t getting earlier in the year. Keep on rollin’

It was such a gutsy shot. His confidence has grown so much in the second half of the season this year...so great to see.

Coaches comments:

Jim Les: "The guys made big plays down the stretch: they were diving on the floor for loose balls, made big shots, battled for rebounds and made big free throws. This was a complete team effort," said UC Davis head coach Jim Les.

"These guys faced adversity, looked it in the eye and kept working. They stuck together, faced the challenge as a team and now good things are happening for them."

"We turned to AJ ... and said 'next man up.' And he was more than ready to go. He gave us some great minutes and great production," said Les.

Les added, "everyone refused to lose and gave a great effort. This is a game that could propel us throughout the upcoming weeks."

Joe Pasternack on TJ and the game: "He was the Player of the Year in the conference last year and he's still one of the best," said Pasternack, regarding the way Shorts II impacted the game. "They are the defending league champions and they're playing like that now."

https://ucdavisaggies.com/news/2019/2/10/mens-basketball-defense-leads-aggies-to-61-57-victory-at-ucsb.aspx

I think it's time to give Jim Les some credit for shaking up the lineup to get out of whatever slump the team was in. If the team continues to win and winds up, say, in third place, he will have done a great coaching job.

Couldn't agree more. I can be critical of Les at times when he lets his emotions get the best of him but, time and time again, he proves that he is indeed an outstanding coach. This has been a tough year for the Aggies and, like you say, if they finish in among the leaders in the Big West, this might be one of his best coaching efforts in his 8 years here when you take into consideration the difficulty this years's schedule, the injuries that have sidelined John and Gonzalez for long stretches and lots of competitive losses with little to show for it in the win column. He currently has them willing themselves to find ways to win in spite of all of the adversity they have faced this season and that say a lot.