UC Davis, Sacramento State Basketball Teams Flirting With Big Dance Bids To March Madness
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — For the first time, UC Davis and Sacramento State could have basketball teams in the NCAA tournament in March.
Currently, ESPN says both schools could make the March Madness bracket and fight for the crown of college basketball. Sacramento State (11-6) and UC Davis (14-3) have 12 games remaining on their schedules.
"Man that would be a dream come true," said UC Davis point guard Corey Hawkins. "That's something we've talked about since I've been here, and just this year alone we can see we're capable of doing it."
Both teams have climbed to the top this season. The Aggies are undefeated in Big West Conference play, and ranked as one of the best shooting teams in the country. Hawkins recently made ESPN's list of the Top 25 players in the nation.
"That's a pretty astounding accomplishment when you think about all the great players there are in college basketball," he said.
And for the first time in its history, the Sacramento State Hornets are ranked in the Top 25 mid-major colleges, and sitting atop the Big Sky Conference.
"Right now, we just want to win the next game," said point guard Mikhael McKinley.
Right now, Aggies coach Jim Les says the focus right now is on the court, and not on the limelight.
"The core culture is hey, we work hard and we haven't gotten too full of ourselves and we've taken a let's get better each day approach," he said.
Hornets coach Brian Katz echoed those sentiments.
"We have a phrase around here we say, 'Just win the day,'" he said.
Both are cautiously optimistic about vying for basketball's biggest prize.
"Our goal four years ago was to put UC Davis basketball on the map, and we've made some good inroads, but we've still got a lot of work to do," Les said.