The Aggies race out to a 46-25 lead at the half. The Ags are pushing the ball up court and running every chance they get and are doing a much better job on the boards +12. Dani Nafehk leads the Ags with 11 and Morgan Bertsch has 11.

The Ags take a 24-15 lead after one quarter.

I'm one of those basketball fans that loves great defense as much as great offense. Our guys are using their feet and staying front of their man. I loved the double teams out front and the steals we got by doing it...a thing of beauty. You can't do that unless you know the players behind you have got your back. Defense is hard work and effort and the Ags have bought into it. Great to see.

UCSB was without 6'8 forward Ami Lokoju and 6'8 forward Jalen Canty due to academics.

Quote from Bob Williams: "That is a very physical team, especially their backcourt, and we didn't respond," said UCSB head coach Bob Williams. "Early, they took us out of everything we wanted to do offensively and on the other end, it was too easy for them."

http://ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-baskbl/2016-17/releases/2017010520jnc9

Spot on, DrMike. Our depth is making a difference and it took some time in the OOC games for us to arrive at this point. Les has this team believing in the value of great defense. I like Schnieder coming off the bench. He can give the team a lift with his 3 point shooting and his overall intensity of play. Arell Hennings is fun to watch and he has great court awareness and can distribute the ball with accuracy. I love it when he pulls up and drains a 3 or a long 2.

I like the chemistry of this team. They take pride in defense and are very unselfish. Last night was a good start. Saturday will be a better test and we have to hold advantage at home to have a chance in the Big West.

He extremely athletic and plays bigger than 6'6. He has a nose for the ball and great hands when rebounding too. If he continues at this high level of play he will definitely be in the running for POY in the Big West.

That seems to be the case. I think Rogers Printup is a medical redshirt.

I think UCSB had a couple of players out but I didn't expect a 73-47 blowout. The Aggie defense in the first half was the best half of defense I think I've ever seen an Aggie team play. It was just outstanding and it took the Gauchos out of the game early. Add in good ball movement, good rebounding, good shooting, good production from the bench and unselfish play and it adds up to a blowout. The Ags were clicking on all cylinders.

JT was no where to be seen so I'm assuming he was under the weather. Hopefully, he be good to go on Saturday against Poly. Siler Schneider had his best all around game of the season and Arell Hennings is playing better with each game. Chima Moneke got his 3rd double double in a row and 6th for the season.

Sparse crowd with the students still gone. Hope we get a better turnout for the double header on Saturday.

Great effort by the Aggies tonight!

Hahaha...you're on a roll 72!

I certainly hope the NPS does litigate but, with funding stretched to the limit and probably little interest in NP's and conservation from the incoming administration, I doubt that the the NPS will be able to anything about it. Sad state of affairs for the NPS.

California Ahwahnees....hahaha...good one! What a crock that whole thing was also with the vendor who said they would sue Yosemite if they continued to use the word Ahwahnee for the hotel etc. Jeeesh!!

I've seen them a few times. Hoosiers is a very accurate account of perhaps the biggest Cinderella basketball story ever.

The high school basketball tournament in Indiana had only one classification when I was in high school which meant that every school, no matter how big or small, were all together in one big tournament. That's how such a small school like Milan ended up beating the big, perennial powerhouse, Muncie Central for the State Championship in 1954. They also beat Indianapolis Crispus Attucks, led by Oscar Robertson, in the semis. Bobby Plump, who hit the shot as time expired to beat Muncie Central, is an Indiana legend.

I'm not sure when the single classification tournament ended but now, like most states, the Indiana high school basketball tournament has several championships based on school size. We'll never see a miraculous run like Milan had in Indiana ever again.

Edit note: Indiana ended the single championship tournament in 1997 amidst much controversy. Many Hoosier basketball fans loved the traditional format because it allowed for the possibilities of Davis vs Goliath upsets. Now only two states have a single tournament format in which everyone competes against each other: Kentucky and Delaware.

I grew up in Indiana and still have Hoosier hysteria in my veins. My mother and sister are IU alums and my sister lived in Bloomington for many years. Despite all of his championship accomplishments, Bob Knight nearly ruined Indiana basketball with his outrageous, juvenile, anger tantrums and, believe me, what you saw on the court was only the tip of the iceberg.

The worst part was that IU administrators and many fans turned a blind eye to his shameful behavior as if the ends justified the means. Finally, after he assaulted a player by grabbing him by the throat, the university knew they couldn't let him continue and gave him the boot, but a lot of damage was already done.

Knight left Indiana pouting, angry and loudly crying foul. The man was a genius about the game and demanded unquestionable accountability and total commitment from his players but he was to blind to his own boorish behavior. It left a stain on IU basketball for quite some time and the ability to recruit at the highest level fell off. IU basketball is finally back up to an elite level under Tom Crean. Crean is very intense but he always maintains a respectable demeanor.

Pathetic! What a wonderful role model for his players on how to handle their emotions in the heat of the game...! If this man can erupt like that on national tv, just imagine what he's like when he's behind closed doors or when the cameras are off. Uncontrolled outbursts of anger should not be tolerated and justified just because it takes place in a sporting event. It sends a terrible message especially to young men.

Saban may be a football guru but the incident during the game with Washington where he goes berzerk on Kiffin shows that he is a first class jerk also.

Great to hear about how well the Ags played from your perspective on the floor. I was able to watch the game on Big West TV while still getting my 'honey do" list done. I think you summed up what I was seeing as well.

The defensive intensity has been there most of the year but the offense has not been as reliable. I think Les really has the team taking pride in being good defenders. If we can bring solid defense each game and shoot a decent percentage, we are going to be a tough out in conference.

The conference will probably be a topsy-turvy affair as usual. I'd like to see us hold home court advantage and then steal a few on the road.

Some folks over on the Big West Boards think that Moneke could be the POY in the Big West. If he keeps up with those double doubles they just might be right.

I'm looking forward to UCSB and Poly next week.

I would like to say that your experience would be shocking but, unfortunately, it's the sad truth too often in big time college athletics. When college athletics become a huge business with deep corporate dollars feeding the university kitty, the only things that are going to ultimately matter are the number of W's and championship banners.

You're correct, 72Aggie, some players form the biggest of the big power programs will go on to make big bucks in the pros, but what happens to many of the other players (their supporting cast) who may leave school without the ability to read at a middle school level?

I remember the fairly recent North Carolina scandal where some basketball players were reading at something like the 3rd grade level but were "magically" passing their college courses with a "little help from some supportive counselors." Those athletes were just being used to bring W's and $$$ to the university and the pockets of the coaching staff.

I think it is disgraceful and a travesty to college athletics when that kind of stuff happens and, honestly, I think there may be more of it taking place among the "elites of the elite programs" than any of us would like to think. Maybe I've become too skeptical and cynical in my old age but big money talks loudly at the top of the elite programs and, unfortunately, often times to the detriment of the well being of the athletes.

Sorry...end of rant!!! 8-)

Evidently the Chancellor search is down to 11 candidates and 3 of them are currently employed at UCD:

http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/dunning/bob-dunning-transparent-chancellor-search-not-so-much/

That's interesting 69aggie. I've been wondering about what a coach can do to improve rebounding. Sure, you can demonstrate boxing out and positioning but it really comes down to determination and desire to just go hard for the ball. I have seen drills were coaches use pads to bump and push players around to get them used to being banged about and still getting to the ball or finishing a shot while being fouled but I've never seen a contraption you say that Ham had. It was probably something his wild basketball mind just came up with. He was a special character for sure!