Feb. 14, 2008

DAVIS, Calif. - - Jessica Campbell scored 24 points and UC Davis took a 21-point halftime lead as the Aggies won their fourth straight game with a 69-50 Big West Conference women's basketball win over UC Irvine at The Pavilion on Thursday night in a game delayed more than two hours because of a power outage.

The win improved the Aggies' overall record to 14-9 and their Big West mark to 8-3. UC Davis is in third place, just one game behind in the loss column to second-place UC Riverside. Senior Ellen Porshneva added 15 points while junior Haylee Donaghe tallied 13. Guard Rebecca Maessen scored 11 points for UC Irvine which dropped to 6-19 overall and 2-9 in league.

Thursday's game was scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. but a power outage after 6 p.m. on campus delayed the start of the matchup. Power was eventually restored at approximately 8:45 p.m. and the game started at about 9:20.

Once the game started, UC Davis wasted little in establishing control, opening a 13-5 lead with just under 14 minutes left and then opened it to 21-9 near the midway point of the first half. A three-pointer from Campbell gave the Aggies a 31-13 led with 6:50 to go. The advantage swelled to 19 points on three occassions before Porshneva's jumper from the baseline with only 12 seconds left gave the Aggies a comfortable 43-22 halftime lead.

UC Davis used 48.6-percent shooting, an 18-13 rebounding lead, nine steals and just five turnovers to help build the lead. It also benefitted from 11 turnovers by the Anteaters in the first 20 minutes. UC Irvine also made just 1 of 6 from three-point in the first half.

The Aggies maintained the sizeable lead for the remainder of the game, opening it to 61-34 with 7:21 remaining for their largest lead of the game. The Anteaters got to within 17 points on two occassions before UC Davis won by 19.

"I was very proud of the team when they were put under these unusual circumstances," said head coach Sandy Simpson of the long pregame delay. "Irvine came out with intensity but we were able to match them. There's a difference between being able to be intense physically versus mentally and I'm pleased this night's circumstances had no effect on us."

UC Davis ended with a 35-32 rebounding advantage, just the fifth time it has outrebounded an opponent this season. Campbell hit 9 of 12 shots, including making both of her three-point tries, adding two assists and two steals. Porshneva's 15 points were a season-high.

Guard Anna Harp picked up a career-best six steals for UC Davis.

Kelly Cochran had 10 points for UC Irvine which finished the game with 24 turnovers. The Anteaters had 16 assists on their 20 baskets with three players picking up three each.

UC Davis will return to action on Saturday when the Aggies host Cal State Fullerton at 4:45 p.m. The game is the first of a doubleheader with the men's team which will host UC Santa Barbara at 7 p.m.