Dec. 20, 2006
Box Score
DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis used a 24-3 run spanning parts of both halves on Wednesday night while four players scored in double figures as the Aggies won their third straight game with a 62-45 win over Lafayette in a nonconference women's basketball matchup at The Pavilion.
UC Davis improved to 5-7 with its second straight home win while Lafayette, a member of the Patriot League, fell to 2-8. Heather Bates, Genevieve Costello and Anna Harp each scored 13 points for UC Davis while guard Jessica Spicer had a game-high 16 to lead the Leopards. Laura Thomas had 11 points for UC Davis.
The Aggies led 3-2 in the opening minutes but Lafayette surged with a 16-5 run to take an 18-8 lead at the halfway point of the opening 20 minutes. Vanessa Van De Venter's put-back with 6:41 left in the first half gave the Leopards their second 10-point lead at 25-15 but the Aggies would rally from that point on. Bates' layup started an 11-3 run that would cut the deficit to just 28-26 at halftime. Thomas had a three-pointer to help key the run.
Lafayette shot 61 percent from the field in the first half and held a 15-9 rebounding advantage but the Leopards were victimized by 14 turnovers before the break. They finished the game with 30 while UC Davis had just 17.
"We kept our poise. That's what was great about tonight, we didn't panic," said UC Davis head coach Sandy Simpson. "The difference tonight was creating that turnover differential."
Sparked by three-pointers from Harp, Bates and Thomas, the Aggies scored the first 13 points of the second half to take a 39-28 lead with 14:56 remaining. Spicer's jumper ended an 8-minute, 40-second drought without a field goal for Lafayette which got to within 42-34 near the 12-minute mark but could not cut into the lead any more.
UC Davis' 17-point margin of victory was its largest lead of the game.
Thomas had a trio of three-pointers for the Aggies, who shot 55 percent (12 for 22) from the field in the second half and finished the game at 47 percent. Costello and Harp each had a pair of treys as part of their 13-point performances. Kirsten Commins had a team-high five rebounds.
Spicer, who made four three-pointers, added five assists and three steals. Garner and Brittany Purr each had seven points for the Leopards who will play at Pacific on Friday.
"It was great to go into the break with the type of win," said Simpson.
UC Davis returns to action with a Dec. 28 game at Long Beach State before playing at UC Irvine on Dec. 30.
