Jan. 5, 2007
Box Score
DAVIS, Calif. - Megan Vogel scored a game-high 21 points on Friday night and South Dakota State used a decisive12-2 run just after the midway point of the second half as the Jackrabbits pulled away from UC Davis in a 78-61 nonconference women's basketball win at The Pavilion.
UC Davis, which missed its first 11 shots and didn't score for more than eight minutes to start the game before making their next nine attempts, fell to 6-9. Heather Bates scored 15 points to lead the Aggies while freshman Ashley Curry had 10. The Jackrabbits, who already own wins over USC, Alabama, Kansas and Virginia this season, improved to 11-4.
UC Davis trailed just 54-51 midway through the second half before South Dakota State went on a 12-2 run to open a 66-53 lead with 5:38 to go. That final surge enabled the Jackrabbits to break open a close game that they trailed 31-28 at the break.
"I was really proud of our kids and the way we executed in the first half and early in the second," said UC Davis head coach Sandy Simpson. "We were playing a little timid early but then we realized we can play with these folks.
The Aggies didn't score a basket and missed their first 11 tries of the game before Laura Thomas converted a layup with 11:15 left in the half. But, despite the drought, UC Davis didn't find itself into too much of a deficit after holding South Dakota State to just seven points.
"When we finally scored we were fortunate they had only scored seven, then we picked it up," said Simpson.
Thomas's layup began a string of nine straight buckets for the Aggies who trailed 22-10 with 7:01 left in the half before going on a 12-0 run to take a 24-22 lead with 3:56 left after Bates hit a long three-pointer. Genevieve Costello, Bates and Kirsten Commins each scored two points in the final minute of the half as UC Davis took a three-point lead into the break.
Curry's layup with 16:45 to go gave UC Davis a 36-34 lead, its final one of the game. Stacie Oistad followed with a three-pointer 45 seconds later as South Dakota State went up by a point and then Andrea Verdegan followed with a trey of her own to help highlight an 8-0 run that gave the Jackrabbits a 42-36 advantage.
UC Davis then trailed by as many as eight points before Lindsey Jones nailed a three-pointer with 9:47 to make it 54-51, just prior to South Dakota State's key run.The Jackrabbits outscored the Aggies 50-30 in the second half.
Despite the slow start, the Aggies ended up shooting 48 percent from the field in the first half; 42 percent for the game. South Dakota State shot 57 percent in the second half and 52 percent for the game.
Vogel hit seven of 10 shots, including a trio of three-pointers, to help with her 21 points, also contributing four assists and five rebounds. Jennifer Warkenthien had a game-high nine boards while Ashlea Muckenhirn posted six assists.
Bates had a pair of three-pointers and five rebounds while Curry also had five boards to go with her 10 points.
UC Davis, which was 16 of 19 from the line, was playing without sophomore starter Haylee Donaghe who missed the game with injury.
The Aggies return to action on Thursday when they host Cal Poly at 7 p.m. UC Santa Barbara visits on Jan. 13 for a 7 p.m. matchup.
