Jan. 19, 2006
Box Score
DAVIS, Calif. - Guard Jackie Turpin's 11 points and 13 rebounds marked her second double-double in the past four games, and Heather Bates scored a career-high 20 points off the bench, as UC Davis rallied for a 79-68 nonconference women's basketball victory over Cal State Northridge on Thursday night at The Pavilion.
UC Davis, which has won six of eight home games this season, improved to 8-9. The Matadors , who were led by a team-high 20 points from guard Jamie McCaa, fell to 5-12. Ellen Porshneva scored 16 points while Kimberly Smith hit a trio of three-pointers and scored 14 points for the Aggies, who committed just two turnovers in the second half and outscored Cal State Northridge, 50-37.
Turpin grabbed a team season-high 13 boards as UC Davis outrebounded the Matadors 39-32 after Cal State Northridge outrebounded the Aggies by 48 in two combined games last season.
"That was an emphasis this week and I thought we did outstanding on the boards," said Aggie coach Sandy Simpson.
UC Davis trailed 45-38 with 16 minutes, 12 seconds remaining but posts Lara Gray and Ellen Porshneva combined to score 10 consecutive points for UC Davis which took a 48-45 lead with 12:55 to play. The Matadors responded, however, and turned a 53-48 deficit midway through the half into a 55-53 lead with 8:30 to go after a jumper by Krisztina Fuleki.
Freshman Kirsten Commins hit a three-pointer just under two minutes later as UC Davis took the lead for good, 57-55. Back-to-back three-pointers by Bates and Smith helped the Aggies open a 71-60 lead with just over a minute remaining to help UC Davis keep the Matadors away.
The Aggies had 10 turnovers at halftime and shot just 35.7 percent (10 of 28) before committing just two turnovers and making 46.7 percent (14 of 30) of their shots in the second half. That helped turn a 31-29 halftime deficit into the 11-point win.
The Aggies enjoyed their biggest lead in the first half at 15-9 with 9:04 left while the Matadors enjoyed a four-point advantage at 31-27 late. The teams were tied five times in the first 20 minutes.
Turpin's double-double was her second of the season after scoring 14 points with 10 rebounds against UC Irvine on Jan. 4. Her 13 boards were a season-best and marked the third time she's had at least 10 in a game. Bates made 4 of 7 three-point attempts to help her score 20 points in 22 minutes, eclipsing her previous best of 17 points versus Auburn on Dec. 28.
Porshneva made all eight of her free throw attempts and has now made 23 straight, four off the school record of 27 set by Colleen Turnbull in 2003. Kirsten Commins had four steals for the Aggies while Smith had a team-high six assists.
McCaa was one of three Matadors to hit a pair of three-pointers, a trio that also included Fuleki and LaJoyce King. King finished with 10 points while Fuleki had eight. Ashley Blake hit three treys and finished with 17 points.
UC Davis, which is 3-2 against Big West Conference teams this season, will host Pacific on Saturday at 2 p.m.
