Nov. 27, 2005
Final Stats
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - UC Davis (0-3) concluded its two-game road trip in New England with a 69-56 setback at Harvard, Sunday afternoon in Cambridge, Mass. Phil Rasmussen led the Aggies with 16 points, and Rommel Marentez added 12. Harvard (4-0) was led by Matt Stehle, who scored a game-high 20 points.
It was a back-and-forth battle in the first half, with 13 lead changes and five ties. Neither team led by more than five points in the first frame. The Aggies' biggest lead was at 17-12 with 13:18 left in the half. The half ended with Harvard leading 33-32. The Crimson effort was helped in large part by 15 first half points from Brian Cusworthy.
The first seven minutes of the second half were much like the first half, with neither team taking more than a four-point lead. However, with 11:43 remaining, the Crimson went on a 7-0 run and led 51-42 just over a minute later.
Two minutes later, a three-pointer by Stehle, put the Crimson on top 56-44, forcing the Aggies to play catch-up for the remainder of the game. A three-pointer by Marentez pulled UC Davis to within 56-47 at the 7:43 mark. Three minutes later, a pair of free throws by Thomas Juillerat drew the Aggies to within 58-51. That was as close as UC Davis would get as Harvard's largest lead came with the final score.
"I think they just wore us down the longer the game went on," said UC Davis head coach Gary Stewart. "They were really physical, and (Cusworthy and Stehle) hurt us."
The Aggies held Cusworthy without a point in the second half. However, Stehle scored 18 of his 20 points after halftime.
The Aggies shot 47 percent from the field. That percentage included 59 percent in the first half and just 33 percent the rest of the way. Harvard finished the game 57 percent from the field, including 67 percent in the first half.
UC Davis forced Harvard into 18 turnovers while committing 16. The Aggies were outrebounded, 25-19.
Along with Rasmussen and Marentez posting double-figures, Kyle Brucculeri and Vince Oliver each added eight. Oliver also dished out a team-high four assists.
UC Davis will now return home and host Sacramento State in its home opener Nov. 30 at The Pavilion at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on KSAC 1240-AM and www.ucdavisaggies.com.
