Preview: UC Davis at Cal State Northridge

LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — A pivotal Big West Conference rematch is set for Thursday when the UC Davis Aggies visit the Cal State Northridge Matadors at the Matadome.

The Aggies (12-8, 5-2 Big West) enter with momentum, having won four of their last five, including a 74-66 victory over UC Riverside on Saturday. They currently sit near the top of the conference standings. UC Davis won the season’s first meeting, 89-80, at home on Jan. 1.

Cal State Northridge (11-10, 3-4) looks to halt a two-game skid and defend its home court after a 89-68 loss at Hawaii on Saturday. The Matadors have struggled for consistency in league play but boast a 7-3 record at home this season.

A key matchup will feature two of the conference’s top guards. UC Davis is led by Nils Cooper, who is averaging 15.1 points and 3.9 assists in conference play. He scored 19 points with five assists in the win over UC Riverside and had 18 points in a road win at UC Santa Barbara earlier this month.

Cal State Northridge counters with dynamic point guard Josiah Davis, who leads the Big West in assists at 8.2 per game in conference action. Davis recorded a 23-point, 15-assist performance in a win over Cal Poly on Jan. 8 and scored 21 points in the earlier loss at UC Davis.

For UC Davis, balance has been crucial. In the Jan. 1 win, four Aggies scored in double figures beyond Cooper. Cal State Northridge will need more from its supporting cast after Josiah Davis and Larry Hughes (19 points) accounted for nearly half the team’s scoring in the Hawaii loss.

The Aggies have shown resilience on the road in conference play, with wins at UC Santa Barbara and a narrow loss at Cal Poly. The Matadors aim to leverage their home-court advantage, where they average 84.2 points per game.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.