Event: Senior Night
Teams: UC Davis vs. Cal State Northridge
Records: Aggies, 12-17 (7-8); Matadors, 14-12 (10-4)
Where: The Pavilion
When: Today at 7 p.m.
Radio: KFSG (1690-AM)
Who to watch: On Senior Night, all eyes will be on the five UC Davis seniors.
Michael Boone, Kyle Brucculeri, David Carter, Nathan Clark and Vince Oliver will be playing at the Pavilion for the last time of their careers. Boone and Brucculeri have been in the program for five years, Carter and Oliver have been for four, and Clark, a transfer out of Modesto Junior College, is in his second year.
The group will be honored prior to tip-off.
Did you know? It has been two years since the Aggies last had a Senior Night, as last season’s roster didn’t have any seniors. If this one is anything like the last one, tonight’s game will be one to remember.
On Mar. 3, 2007, fans rushed the court after Thomas Juillerat, Rommel Marentez, Ari Warmerdam and Nick Karvelas were sent off with a 77-68 upset win over Cal State Fullerton. Oliver scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half to help charge the victory.
Preview: For this year’s group of seniors, there would be no better way to go out than a Big West Conference Tournament run that ends with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Getting momentum with a win over Northridge would make for the perfect start.
The Matadors are the Big West’s top team and have won seven of their last eight in conference play. They narrowly escaped the Aggies in the league opener earlier this season with an 84-81 win at the Matadome.
Northridge will have a noticeably different look this time around.
Leading scorer Deon Tresvant and freshman Dallas Rutherford are both out due to legal trouble. Along with two others, Tresvant and Rutherford allegedly stole over $6,600 worth of merchandise from a Best Buy in Los Angeles on New Year’s Day.
Tresvant has pled not guilty to felony charges and will not return to the team until the case is resolved. Rutherford pled guilty to lesser charges but is taking a leave of absence from the team.
On Feb. 14, the team lost starting point guard Josh Jenkins for the season after he suffered serious injuries in a tragic automobile accident. Jenkins was the passenger in the fatal one-car crash; the driver was killed.
The Matadors have rallied despite their losses. They are coming off a decisive 95-74 Senior Night win over Long Beach State, the league’s second-ranked team, and can clinch the top seed in next week’s tournament with a win.
The Aggies will need a win tonight to stay eligible for a bye in the tournament. Mark Payne (ankle) and Todd Lownenthal (eye) are both considered game-time decisions after being injured in last week’s road trip.
– Michael Gehlken
