University of California Davis - El Rodeo Yearbook (Davis, CA)

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,7 ,r?; W; 3f UPPER LEFT: Jim Becket 0C0 lets go with a driving shot against Sacramento State. Ron Knight prepares for a rebound. UPPER RIGHT: Bill Wetmore gets smashed between two Sacto State players in a fight for the ball. Grant Braun C33 and Glenn Goldsmith CLO are other Aggies in picture. MIDDLE RIGHT: Nelson i23i moves in for a rebound following a shot in the S. F. State game. LOWER RIGHT: Frank King lets go with a shot from the back of the foul circle. Perhaps the most interesting of the non-conference games which the Aggies played during the season was the three game series with Sacramento State. Sacramento had a team composed of several former J.C. and college stars who were plenty good. The first of the contests was played on the local hardwood early in the season. The game was strictly an offensive affair and was nip and tuck all the way through. Leading by seven points going into the final two minutes, the Mustangs hung on in an exciting hard fought finish to win by a narrow four point margin, 57 to 53. It was a thriller from start to finish and deeply hurt the Hornet's pride. The second game was as rough and as close as the first, but the outcome was somewhat different. The Hornet's were not to be denied this time and won by the same four count gap, 48 to 44. The victory started Sacramento out on a streak of wins. Among the teams which the Hornets defeated were Y.M.l. of San Francisco, a good A.A.U. team, twice; C.O.P.,- San Jose State; and Chico State. The Hornets were red hot, and according to the Capital City sports writers were going to take the Aggies without much trouble. However, the Mustangs had another story to tell. The opening minutes indicated a high scoring contest as both teams swished shot after shot from any angle. The Mustangs led for the opening minutes, but the Hornets pulled ahead, 14 to T3, and looked like they were going to stay there. The half time score was 26 to 22 in the Hornet's favor and from all indications the experts were right in picking a Hornet victory.

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ya xx,.- . ' gr t UPPER LEFT: An unidentified Aggie iumps high above the outstretched hands of two S. F. State players and Goldsmith i310 to get a rebound. UPPER RIGHT: Hal Nelson i33i, Glenn Goldsmith QM, and Ernie Wetmore strain for a rebound against Sacramento State. MIDDLE LEFT: Bill Wetmore dribbles the ball over the center line against S. F. State. LOWER LEFT: Ron Knight BU comes down after laying up a basket in the S, F. State game. Carl Reich UH looks on. Next on the schedule was a return series with the Staters of San Francisco State. Friday night in San Francisco the Aggies had another cold night, but managed to stay out in front and win by ten points, 49 to 39. Saturday night on the local hardwood the Aggies followed the pattern set in the previous pair of contests by swishing baskets from all angles to win going away, 66 to 44. At the same time the Mustangs were taking a pair from $.F.S. the Southern Oregon Raiders were splitting two with Chico. Chico's loss put the Aggies back in the mathematical race-all they had to do was win the last four games, two from Southern Oregon and two from Chico. The first half of the assignment was accomplished, but the second half was not. The Aggies followed the old familiar pattern of playing poorly the first night and excellent the second, but won them both to stay in the race. Playing only well enough to win, the Mustangs topped the Raiders 51 to 42 in the opening game of the series. The second night was a far happier contest, as the offense as well as the defense was clicking. The Mustangs were never behind, winning by 19 points, 64 to 45. Then came the fatal series with Chico related above. It was unfortunate for the Aggies that they did not play a full sixteen game schedule as did Chico, but it was an unavoidable situation and might not have made any difference in the final outcome of the conference.

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-yW mr-nv aww hm, -7 -..W.- -- - '1. Braun caught in an awkward pose following a iump ball as Reich UH Goldsmith iumps high to sink a basket against S. F. State. Ron Knight and Sconyers i24i head down court. gets set for the possible rebound. However, the Mustang defense in the second half was nothing less than sensational as they held the Hornet hot shots to I3 points in the entire second stanza. Meanwhile, the Aggie offense started to roll again. The Mustangs pulled out in front midway in the half and won 44 to 38, snapping the Hornet winning streak at six games. This game gave the Aggies the odd game of the three game series. In other non-conference games, the Mustangs played some top notch teams from around the state. After opening the season with an easy 61 to 49 win over the Gem Garage of Sacramento, the Aggies played LaVerne College from Southern California. Even though LaVerne was rated rather high, the Aggies went out in front and stayed there, winning 57 to 45, for their second victory in as many starts. - After being defeated by the California Blues, 44 to 36, beating Sacramento State, and losing to the Stocton Amblers, all former C.O.P. stars, 53 to 45, the Aggies tangled with another barnstorming Sacramento State. This game was the highest scoring of the year, and the only ones except the final two against Chico that the Aggies failed to hold their opponents to less than 55 points. The Mustangs led all the way, but were never out in front far enough to feel safe until the final gun. The game was a fast breaking contest- which ended 67 to 61 in the Aggies' favor. One other top flight team ran head on into the Aggie defense as the Olympic Club of San Francisco was defeated 54 to 48.