Nov. 24, 2007

Final Stats

DAVIS, Calif. - Kyle Brucculeri poured in 26 points and had seven rebounds to lead UC Davis past visiting Portland State, 76-68, Saturday night at The Pavilion. Vince Oliver added 19, and Mark Payne scored 10 as the Aggies built a 23-point first half lead and held off a PSU rally late in the game. The win improves UC Davis to 4-2 and extends its winning streak to three games. The Aggies also remained perfect at home with a 4-0 mark and are off to their best start in four years.

Scott Morrison led Portland State (3-3) with 13 points. Deonte Huff, Tyrell Mara and Julius Thomas each scored 10.

UC Davis was dominant in the first half, building a 12-2 lead by the 14:31 mark and a 23-7 advantage six minutes later. The Aggies shot 58 percent in the half and 88 percent (7-of-8) from beyond the arc. Brucculeri scored 14 points in the first half alone and was 3-for-3 from three-point range and 5-for-5 overall by the end of the half. Oliver had 12 by the break.

The Vikings had all sorts of trouble in the half, shooting 10-for-28 for 36 percent and turning the ball over eight times. They would trail by double figures for the final 14:31 of the half after the Aggies' opening burst and found themselves down by as many as 23 in the final minute of the half.

Portland State opened the second half with a 16-6 run, pulling within 49-38 at the 13:52 mark. Five minutes later, Brucculeri went 1-for-2 from the line as the Aggies still led by 11. For the remainder of the game, the Aggies kept their lead by scoring 16 of their final 23 points from the foul line.

The Vikings could not get closer than nine points as the game moved under three minutes to play. A jumper by Payne with 2:31 left gave the Aggies a 69-55 lead before PSU used one last push to get close.

A bucket by Jeremiah Dominguez at the 2:21 mark started an 11-0 run over the next 70 seconds. Three-pointers by Mara and Dupree Lucas sandwiched around three free throws by Huff made cut the Aggies' lead to 69-66 with 1:11 left.

The Vikings would get no closer as Brucculeri went 6-for-6 from the line in the final 1:02 to preserve the win.

"We got off to such a good start," said UC Davis head coach Gary Stewart. "On both ends we executed offensively, had great energy and a commitment to guarding in the first half. (Portland State) is a good team, and it's hard to keep a good team down. They methodically worked their way back in the game, but I was proud of the way we responded. This is the kind of game we're going to have to win in order to elevate the program, and we're making some good strides in that direction."

Brucculeri went 7-for-9 from the field, including 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. He also made eight of his 12 free throw attempts. The junior was two points shy of his career-high of 28 set Feb. 11, 2006.

Oliver was a perfect 8-for-8 from the line and hauled in six rebounds. It was his second straight game with 19 points.

Shane Hanson had a career-high six assists to go along with eight points. Ryan Silva scored five, and C.J. Portz scored four.

PSU outrebounded UC Davis, 34-27. Mara led the game with eight rebounds. The Vikings turned the ball over 16 times while the Aggies committed 14 turnovers. For the game, UC Davis shot 23-for-30 from the line, and the Vikings went 18-for-28.

The 4-2 start by the Aggies is the best since the team started 4-2 in 2003-04, Stewart's first season at UC Davis. The 4-0 start at home is also the best since that year when the Aggies opened with seven straight wins at The Pavilion.

UC Davis is next in action Dec. 1 at Brown in the first of two games on the road. The trip concludes Dec. 3 at Dartmouth.