Nov. 11, 2007

Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. - Jessica Campbell scored a game-high 14 points, post Paige Mintun added 10 and UC Davis raced to a 12-0 lead in the first five minutes as the Aggies beat Causeway Classic rival Sacramento State 68-39 in a nonconference women's basketball game on Sunday afternoon at The Pavilion.

The game was the season-opener for both teams. UC Davis also beat the Hornets at home for the second straight season and picked up 10 points in the all-sport Causeway Cup race which they now lead 40-10. Atty Boyer had eight points and seven rebounds to lead Sacramento State, which shot just 28 percent from the field, including 22 percent from three-point territory.

Campbell hit 6 of 8 shots, including a three-pointer, and made her only free throw attempt for her 14 points hile Mintun also had a three-pointer and added three assists and a steal during her double-digit scoring effort.

UC Davis wasted little time taking control of the game, scoring the first dozen points to take a 12-0 lead at the 15:34 mark. Campbell had six points in that early surge as the Aggies capitalized on eight turnovers. Sacramento State had 28 turnovers in the game.

Erika Edwards hit a jumper with 14:22 left for the Hornets' first points but Mintun followed with a three-point play to make it 15-2. The Aggies gradually extended the lead, keeping Sacramento State in single-digits until Ashley Garcia's three-pointer made it 31-10 with 2:58 left in the first half. The Aggies' biggest lead before halftime was 31-7 before they settled for a 35-15 advantage at the break.

UC Davis shot 52 percent (13 of 25) from the floor in the first half, had just eight turnovers and picked up seven steals.

"Overall, the way we came out, we were active in the lanes. I was really pleased," said Aggie coach Sandy Simpson.

Haylee Donaghe made a layup early in the second half to start an 8-0 run for UC Davis which lengthened its lead to 43-15 with 16:35 to go. The Aggies led 48-22 midway and took a 30-point lead at 56-26 with 6:03 remaining on a pair of free throws from newcomer Monica Mertle. They led by 33 points on three different occassions down the stretch before settling for the 29-point win.

"We handled (their press) pretty well and we contested their three-point shooters," said Simpson, whose squad held Sacramento State to just 4 of 18 from long distance.

The Aggies had 17 assists on 24 field goals with four players picking up three each. They also had 11 steals and were 14 of 16 from the line. Heather Bates had six rebounds to lead UC Davis in that department but, as a team, the Aggies were outrebounded by the Hornets, 37-31.

Edwards added seven points for the Hornets while Garcia had five.

The Aggies, picked by Big West Conference coaches to finish third in their first season in the league, will return to action on Friday when they face Northern Arizona in the Waikiki Beach Marriott Classic at Hawaii. UC Davis will also face Hawaii on Saturday and Washington on Sunday at the tournament.