Nov. 22, 2005

Box Score

BERKELEY, Calif. - Jene Morris scored a game-high 18 points and host Cal overcame a 10-point deficit in the first half as the Golden Bears held off UC Davis 67-58 in a nonconference women's basketball game played before 898 at Haas Pavilion on Tuesday night.

UC Davis, which was led by 14 points from post Ellen Porshneva, dropped to 0-2 on the young season while Cal improved to 3-1. Freshman forward Ashley Walker and guard Alexis Gray-Lawson each scored 16 points for the Golden Bears while Jessica Campbell had 13 points and Lara Gray pulled down 10 rebounds for the Aggies.

UC Davis, which suited up just eight players because of injuries, led 35-25 late in the first half before Cal rallied to tie it at the half, 35-35. The Aggies led by as many as six points in the second half and were only down by three points with less than three minutes to play.

"The last two-and-half minutes of each half were really the difference," said Aggie coach Sandy Simpson.

Nevertheless, he was proud of his team's effort considering the physicality and talent of the Golden Bears.

"I'm really proud of (the team). I'm so proud," he said. "We didn't back down. I'm disappointed we didn't get the win but we didn't back down."

The Aggies took an early lead against the Golden Bears, using an 8-0 run to forge a 10-2 lead after just four minutes of play. UC Davis never trailed in the game, opening a 28-20 lead with 5 minutes, 28 seconds to play after a pair of free throws from Porshneva. The lead grew to 35-25 with 2:20 left after two more free throws from Porshneva, but a pair of three-pointers from Gray-Lawson and five Aggie turnovers helped Cal tie the game at the half.

Porshneva had 10 points at the break for UC Davis while Walker scored 14 for the Golden Bears. UC Davis also made 13 of 22 shots (.591) while Cal struggled from three-point distance, making just 3 of 14 in the first half.

Another trey by Gray-Lawson to start the second half gave Cal its first lead and the Golden Bears didn't trail until Gray, who had a trio of three-pointers for the Aggies, hit one from long distance to give UC Davis a 42-39 with 17:19 to go.

UC Davis led by as many as six points in the second half before Cal took the lead for good 51-49 on a jumper in the paint from Gray-Lawson near the midway point. UC Davis stayed close until a jumper from Morris and a pair of free throws from Renee Wright helped give the Golden Bears a 65-58 lead with 1:22 to play.

Wright had a game-high 11 rebounds for Cal while Gray-Lawson also contributed nine assists. Turpin and Porshneva each dished five assists for the Aggies, who made just 27 percent of their shots after halftime. Cal held a 40-31 rebound advantage.

UC Davis will look to pick up its first win when it travels to Oregon this weekend to face Portland State on Friday and Portland on Sunday.