UC Riverside, UC Davis start Big West play

UC Riverside (10-6, 0-0) vs. UC Davis (6-10, 0-0)

The Pavilion, Davis, California; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: UC Riverside and UC Davis meet in the first Big West game of the season for both teams. In conference play last season, UC Riverside finished with four wins and 12 losses, while UC Davis won seven games and lost nine.

VETERAN PRESENCE: Both of these teams have depended heavily on their seniors this year. Joe Mooney, Matt Neufeld and Stefan Gonzalez have combined to score 49 percent of all UC Davis points this season. For UC Riverside, Callum McRae, Arinze Chidom, Khyber Kabellis and Dominick Pickett have combined to account for 38 percent of all UC Riverside scoring, including 40 percent of the team’s points over its last five games.MIGHTY MOONEY: Mooney has connected on 34.3 percent of the 99 3-pointers he’s attempted and has made 5 of 15 over the last three games. He’s also converted 87.7 percent of his foul shots this season.

SLIPPING AT 72: UC Davis is 0-8 this year when it allows 72 points or more and 6-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 72.

BEHIND THE ARC: UC Riverside’s Kabellis has attempted 37 3-pointers and connected on 10.8 percent of them, and is 2 for 6 over his last three games.

DID YOU KNOW: UC Riverside as a team has made 8.4 3-pointers per game this season, which is tops among Big West teams. The Highlanders have averaged 10.3 3-pointers per game over their last three games.