College is a learning experience.

When Stanford beat UC Davis, 70-49, on Friday at The Pavilion, there were abundant lessons.

And, as unhappy as Aggie coach Jim Les was with Tuesday’s victory over Santa Cruz, he was, well, one could say happier with his squad’s loss to the Cardinal.

“My focus was never the score,” the former Sacramento King and Bradley coach explained. “It was to (have the players) challenge to the end, and they did that.”

While the Aggies fell to 1-4 on the young season, they were hamstrung by injuries to high-octane wing Ryan Sypkens (knee) and veteran Eddie Miller (leg).

Miller started his first game of 2011, but saw only four minutes of action before tweaking an old muscle pull. Sypkens is awaiting an MRI and did not play.

“What I talked to the team about after the game was (despite who is hurt) we have to be more resilient defensively,” Les explained. “More solid — and can’t have the breakdowns because we don’t have as much firepower to outscore people.”

Early on Friday, Stanford (4-0) opened a couple of 15-point leads before Cardinal Dwight Powell’s dunk and lay-in gave the visitors their biggest lead of the half at 36-17 with 1:13 to intermission. Tyler Les canned two free throws to close out the first 20 minutes with Davis down, 36-19.

The second half started with the kind of Aggie intensity that Les hopes will be sustainable.

An enthusiastic crowd of 4,427 backed a UCD 9-0 run and, just like that, Davis was within striking distance at 36-28 — the points compliments of Josh Ritchart (five) and Harrison DuPont (four). Sophomore Ritchart came off the bench to tally a career-high 19 points. He led all scorers.

But this is Stanford, apparently back in form after a 15-16 season last year.

Cardinal guard Anthony Brown immediately struck a trey, and Stanford was off on an 18-2 run.

Later, Jarrett Mann’s 3-pointer gave Stanford its biggest lead at 67-41.

All was not lost.

Davis got some good closing energy from DuPont, Ryan Howley, Ryan Les, Ritchart and freshman Tyrell Corbin.

As was the case when the quintet was on the floor in the first half, the tempo quickened and the Aggies took some liberties with Stanford.

Once the Cardinal lead reached its zenith, Les launched a successful 3 and Ritchart sank back-to-back free throws. Corbin and Les forced a couple of turnovers, and Ritchart ended UCD scoring with 3-pointer (off a nice assist by Paolo Mancasola).

Between Ritchart, Corbin, Les, Du Pont and Howley, 42 of Davis’ 49 points were recorded. The group forced seven of Stanford’s 12 turnovers. Of that group, only DuPont and Howley started.

“It was a good experience; a learning experience,” Ritchart said. “(Stanford is) big and strong, but they’re also very athletic. In the Big West, you don’t go against guys like that all the time. I feel like we can compete with those types of guys, though.”

The elder Les, a contemporary of Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins during their years together in the NBA, says there’s a lot of work to be done, but Friday was encouraging:

“The problem is we had too many lapses. It wasn’t always five guys; it was one guy; two guys; or three guys. And good teams, as Stanford is, are going to take advantage of those lapses.

“I challenge the guys to give me more. They’re really good kids, but they’ve got more to give in terms of concentration, execution and intensity on the floor.”

And Les saw those spurts of improvement…

“That is encouraging for me, that they can have success.”

Notes: Next up for Davis is a Tuesday matchup against Sacramento State (7 p.m. at The Pavilion). The game is part of a doubleheader with the Aggie women (3-0), who will play San Francisco at 4:45 p.m. that day. …Brown came off the bench to lead Stanford with 14 points. …The Cardinal outrebounded UCD 38-25 (Howley led the Aggies with eight). Getting boards was something Ritchart (Forest Lake Christian High) says was a focus in two intense practices Wednesday and Thursday. “We have to get better boxing out,” the sophomore forward added. …Sypkens injured his knee in practice. Corbin sprained his ankle late in the game. No word yet on the extent of his injury. …DuPont, a sophomore transfer from The Citadel, added 10 Aggie points. …Bill Herenda, the radio voice of the Aggie men, had a special, non-basketball night at The Pavilion on Thursday as his daughter Devin’s volleyball team — El Camino High — captured a Sac-Joaquin championship. Devin is a freshman setter who recorded 37 assists in the title match. Herenda is the brother-in-law of Aggie QB great Ken O’Brien.

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Ryan Howley dunks in the Aggies’ loss to Stanford. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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Josh Ritchart and J.T. Adenrele force a loose ball against Stanford. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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Tyler Les forces a shot against Stanford. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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J.T. Adenrele dunks against Stanford but the basket was called back on an offensive foul. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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Harrison DuPont elevates for a shot against Stanford. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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Tyler Les looks to pass the ball against Stanford. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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Josh Ritchart. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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Josh Ritchart grabs a rebound. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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