In regards to the Aggies getting offensive boards for themselves, then yes, they had far fewer chances to because they shot a better percentage. However, you never want to let an opponent dominate their own offensive boards because, even though they are missing shots, you are letting them have more and more chances to score. We essentially dodged a bullet because Irvine simply wasn't able to take advantage of their offensive rebounding to score second chance points.

If the Ags go Dancing they'll be playing outstanding teams that will take advantage of the Aggies if they do not block out and limit their opponent's second chance attempts. Giving up 20 offensive boards against an elite women's team would probably send the Aggies home with a loss.

Fullerton beat UCSB 64-58. Irvine and Fullerton will play for the title tomorrow at 9 pm televised live on ESPN2.

Good basketball game. Long Beach led most of the game but Irvine was very determined and played really hard in the second half.

I was watching this game on my laptop and watching Duke and North Carolina on tv at the same time. Duke won 74-73 in a great game. Zion Williamson is a total beast. You gotta love college hoops at this time of the year.

The Ags have been peaking for a while now and have been able to keep it going. Pure domination of their opponents of late. The only stat today that is really concerning is that they gave up 20 offensive boards and grabbed only 5 for themselves.

Hawai'i is the only team to have beaten the Aggies in conference play so they'll come into the game confident that they can take down the Ags. If the Ags continue to play the way they did today and do a better job on the boards, they will get to go Dancing.

The Aggies need to be prepared to match the energy that UCI will bring at the start of the game. They're playing tenacious basketball right now and they'll come out sky high. The Ags are a mature team that plays with poise and they'll need that today.

Go Ags!

More comments from the coaches and players:

“I’ll just repeat what I told this team in the locker room, how much I appreciate their effort today, which I thought was exemplary, but also the effort (the players) gave us all season,” said UCD head coach Jim Les.

“None of us had the season we wanted to have, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort or for trying. Sometimes life doesn’t bounce your way — but they kept battling, especially that senior group.”

It was a tearful goodbye by Shorts, last year’s BWC Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection earlier this week:

“I’m thankful,” he said. “I’m thankful for my coaches. For my players. I appreciate what they’ve done for me. They let me showcase (what I could do).”

Les was asked about what Shorts meant to the program and him personally as a coach…

“Just so much respect for him,” the former Bradley standout player and coach said. “It’s easy to respect him as a player, but what he’s done for our program, for the guys. … Since the day he came in here, he put this team on his back. He did it with great moxie and character. I couldn’t be more proud of him.

“He’ll go down — this is my eighth season (at UCD) — as one of the best Aggies I’ve ever coached. Maybe one of the best (players) I’ve ever coached. He’s a warrior, works hard.”

“Big West basketball at its finest. That was a highly competitive game,” said Titan coach Dedrique Taylor, a former Aggie basketball standout. “You have to tip your cap to UC Davis for their competitive spirit, and obviously T.J. had his way with us.”

https://www.davisenterprise.com/sports/aggie-men-fall-short-in-big-west-opener-75-71-in-ot/

#1 Irvine rolls over #8 Riverside 63-44.

Nice comments by Coach Les about the seniors and TJ:

"I'll be forever indebted to that group (of seniors)," Les said in postgame press conference . "For the championships they've brought to this program, for the wonderful ambassadors they've been for this program and the quality student-athletes that are going to be, in whatever they choose, very, very successful."

Highlighting what Shorts II meant to the program throughout his two years at UC Davis, Les added that he "couldn't be more proud of him. He'll go down, and this is my eighth season, but he'll go down as one of the best Aggies' I've coached. Maybe one of the best I've ever coached."

https://ucdavisaggies.com/news/2019/3/14/mens-basketball-shorts-ii-neufeld-lead-aggies-in-another-big-west-tournament-thriller.aspx

0-7 from 3...ugh...hope some start to fall in the second half!

#2 UCSB 71 #7 CSUN 68 Final. The Gauchos made a run to come from behind late to beat the Matadors.

Man, both of these teams are very athletic and CSUN is the youngest team in the nation. We have to get more athletic to keep up next year.

#2 UCSB 42 #7 CSUN 34 at the half

UCI really went after Northridge and played with a lot of energy and emotion. They were double-teaming and trapping on defense every chance they got and they have some quickness at PG and the wings. Their defensive scrappiness had the Matadors frustrated the whole game and CSUN lost their cool and control of the game.

UCI will come out sky high against the Aggies. The Ags need to come out and match the Anteater's energy while maintaining their composure at the same time so they don't let Irvine dictate the pace of the game. I'm sure they will be collapsing on Morgan every time she touches the ball so we'll need to make them pay by shooting well from the perimeter without settling for 3's every time down the court. We can be a deadly 3 point shooting team but we have had games where we went stone cold from 3 also. We'll need balance on offense and tenacity on defense.

March Madness begins today for the #6 seed Aggies at 2:30 pm when they take on #3 Fullerton. We split our regular season games with the Titans losing in Fullerton 62-58 and winning at home 66-59. Both teams ended the season with losing streaks: the Aggies lost 5 of their last 6 games and the Titans lost 3 of their last 4.

I think this is actually as good a match-up for the Aggies as any of the top 4 seeds. We know we can beat them since we've done it already at home and we came very close to winning in Fullerton. If we play great defense and make things difficult for Allman, Ahmad and Rowe we can put ourselves in a position to win the game.

Live television on ESPN3 at 2:30 pm: http://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=9aee73ce-0dd1-4f97-b1dd-1802a9402f67

Go Ags!

#5 Irvine 59 #4 CSUN 57 Final. The Aggies will play Irvine on Friday at 12 noon. This could be a tough game. Irvine played with a lot of energy tonight and a swarming defense that forced 17 TO's by the Matadors.

#3 UC Riverside 70 #7 Long Beach State 56 Final

Anything can happen in these conference tournaments. St Mary's just knocked off #1 Gonzaga 60-47 to win the WCC Tournament and punch their ticket to the Big Dance.

The Aggies clinched the Causeway Cup today when the Aggies beat Sac State 4-0 in softball behind a perfect game pitched by sophomore Brooke Yanez. It was the first perfect game in nearly 25 years for the Aggies.

TV schedule for the tournament games:

TV schedule for the tournament: