DAVIS, Calif. — In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night, UC Davis edged out UC Riverside with a score of 75-74, thanks to a pivotal 3-pointer from Niko Rocak in the final moments of the game. TY Johnson was the standout player for the Aggies, contributing 23 points in a performance that kept his team in contention.
During the final seconds, Johnson made a decisive drive towards the basket, before passing the ball to Rocak, who calmly sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key to secure the lead. In contrast, Barrington Hargress of UC Riverside had the opportunity to clinch victory with a jumper in the dying moments, but unfortunately missed the shot.
Apart from Johnson’s stellar performance, he also grabbed five rebounds, bolstering the Aggies’ efforts. Pablo Tamba added to the score by netting 10 points, shooting 3 of 7 from the field, and certainly made his presence felt on the boards with six rebounds. Leo DeBruhl contributed nine points, though his shooting was less efficient, finishing 2 of 8 but was perfect from the free-throw line, going 4 for 4.
The Highlanders, who fell to 16-10 overall and 9-5 in the conference, were led by Hargress, who had a challenging night shooting 7 of 21 and ultimately scoring 15 points, complemented by two steals. Teammate Isaiah Moses matched his score with another 15 points along with two steals, and Kaleb Smith chipped in with 14 points and two steals as well.
Looking ahead, both teams are set to compete again on Saturday. UC Davis is scheduled to face off against UC San Diego, while UC Riverside will play host to UC Santa Barbara.
