Hornet defense does in Aggie men, 61-51
By Bob Dunning
SACRAMENTO – Defense still wins Division-I college basketball games as the UC Davis men found out in painful fashion in a 61-51 loss to Sacramento State on Wednesday night before 4,774 fans at the Golden 1 Center.
The loss drops the Aggies to 2-4 in the young campaign, while the defensive-minded Hornets moved to 3-0.
“Give credit to Sac State,” said Aggie head coach Jim Les. “I thought they played very well and very physical. They took it to us with their defensive pressure and we didn’t handle it well at times. They deserved to win.”
Sacramento State coach Brian Katz agreed with Les’ assessment.
“Right now we’re defending at an elite level,” Katz noted. “That’s why we’re 3-0. I’m very happy with our effort, and if we continue to play defense like that, we’re going to be a very good basketball team.”
“They made some of our young guys feel the pressure and even though I thought we had some good scoring opportunities, we didn’t take advantage,” Les added.
“You never feel it’s over until it’s over, but I was confident in the outcome, because every time they made a run, we responded,” said Katz. “We’re not flashy, but if we just stick to our core values and get up every morning with a chip on our shoulders, we’re goin to be OK.”
“Our contract here is up, but I hope we can sign another four-year deal to continue playing Davis here,” said Katz. “It’s a thrill for our players, just the whole atmosphere here. It’s a great thing for both teams.”
Added Les, “I can’t thank the Kings enough for opening up their home to us. We’re just grateful to have this chance. Playing here will be a lifetime memory for our kids. We had to throw some of our young guys to the wolves tonight, but we’ll learn and grow from this and get better.”
AggieSportsTalk.com, the pulse of Aggie athletics. The home of Aggie Pride. Create an account to contribute to the conversation!