Last-second 3-pointer misses as Aggies suffer 81-79 men's basketball loss to Cal State Bakersfield
Furious late rally falls just short as UC Davis falls to 1-2 in Big West play
Jaden Alexander hit a short bank shot in traffic with 5.3 seconds remaining as Cal State Bakersfield stunned UC Davis, 81-79, in a tense Big West men’s basketball battle Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 1,068 at the University Credit Union Center.
The loss drops the Aggies to 8-6 overall and 1-2 in conference, while Bakersfield is now 7-9 and 1-3.
After a timeout the Aggies got the ball into the forecourt, where Brayden Fagbemi fed Nils Cooper, who fired from three-point range for the win, but the shot was a bit strong and the Roadrunners escaped with a hard-fought win.
Alexander, who grew up in Fairfield and attended St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School in Vallejo, entered the game averaging just six points a game, but he became Alexander the Great on this winter afternoon.
With family and friends in attendance sitting directly behind the Bakersfield bench, the 6-4 Alexander exploded for 35 points, hitting 12 of 18 from the field, including four from long range, while leading everyone on the floor with 11 rebounds. He also had two assists, a steal and a block in a highly productive afternoon.
The Aggies had a nine-point lead in the first half and a seven-point advantage early in the second half, but a determined Bakersfield squad was not ready to pack it in and head down the Central Valley to home.
The Roadrunners took a 77-69 lead with 1:39 left and seemingly had things in hand, but Conner Sevilla and Isaiah Chappell both hit long-range bombs, then Nils Cooper hit two free throws to bring the Aggies even at 79 with 27 seconds remaining.
Everyone in the house knew the last shot was going to be taken by Alexander as the clock ticked down, but he muscled the ball in from short range as he had all afternoon.
Chappell had 15 points to lead the Aggies, while Cooper had 13 and Sevilla 12. Marcus Wilson and Niko Rocak had 11 points each.
UCD resumes Big West play Jan. 8 at UC Santa Barbara and Jan. 10 at Cal Poly, then comes home Jan. 15 for a 6 p.m. game with Cal State Fullerton.