Doubleheader at UC San Diego begins today, 4 p.m.
For the first time in seven weeks, UC
Davis will return to action when it faces UC San Diego in its inaugural Big West games of the season. Tipoff for the Aggies’ upcoming road doubleheader against
UCSD is set for 4 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Shortly after its 2020-21 home opener vs. William Jessup, which took place on Dec. 4, the Aggies were forced to pause competition shortly thereafter to remain compliant with Yolo County health orders.
Eleven men’s basketball games were canceled throughout the team’s hiatus.
Since returning to campus for its first preseason practice, everyone within the program took all necessary precautions, and made appropriate decisions to give the team its best possible chance to participate this season (and resume competition once action was paused). Zero positive COVID results involving the men’s basketball program were received since testing began last year, according to a UC Davis news release.
After competing against one another for multiple weeks, UC Davis will now face its former Division II rivals for the first headto-head matchup since February 21, 2004, when both competed as members of the California Collegiate Athletic Association until the Aggies began their transition to the Division I level in July, 2004.
Now it’s the Tritons’ turn to experience its four-year reclassification process before it becomes a full-fledged member of the Big West Conference on July 1, 2024. As part of its transition, the league will include them in all of its round robin sports starting with the 2020-21 academic year. Until then, UC San Diego’s teams are not eligible for Big West or NCAA postseason tournaments or games.
In addition to video streams on ESPN3 for each contest, Sports 1140
AM will air Scott Marsh’s broadcasts of the first-ever Division I games between the Aggies and Tritons over the air and through the station’s Tunein Radio channel.
Live stats and in-game Twitter updates links are also available at Men’s Basketball Gameday Central by visiting Ucdavisaggies.com.
Entering this week’s schedule, only four Division I teams played fewer games than the Aggies this season: Alabama A&M (SWAC, 3 games); American, Loyola Maryland (Patriot League, 2); New Mexico State (WAC, 1).