Jan. 14, 2009
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format 
DAVIS, Calif. - The UC Davis women's basketball team will play its final two home games of January when the Aggies host Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, in a pair of Big West games, looking to move up in the early Big West Conference standings.
Tipoff at The Pavilion for both games is 7 p.m. They can be heard on KDVS (90.3 FM) and on www.ucdavisaggies.com.
The Aggies, who edged Long Beach State 55-54 in a thriller last Saturday, are 6-8 overall and 2-1 in the Big West. Cal State Fullerton is 5-8 overall and tied with UC Davis and Pacific at 2-1 in the league standings. The Anteaters, who play at Pacific on Thursday, are 3-13 overall and 0-3.
UC Davis is in the midst of playing five of its first eight Big West games away from The Pavilion and will be trying to win back-to-back games for the first time in over a month. The Aggies will try do so with an active roster of just eight players due to injuries to wings Haylee Donaghe and Vicki Deely, and to post Lisa Peterson which will keep them out of the lineup this weekend.
The Aggies, who have played with no more than nine players for five consecutive games, have gotten off to a 2-1 start in the Big West Conference for the second straight year and with a near-upset of UC Riverside last Thursday, were close to a perfect start.
UC Davis has played well on both ends of the court to help in its strong start to the league season. It continues to shoot the ball well from beyond the arc after extending its string with at least seven treys to six consecutive games. The Aggies are making 6.3 three-pointers per game, best in the conference.
Defensively, the Aggies allowed just 55.0 points per game in their two road matchups last weekd and have allowed at least 70 points just once in their past eight games. Their 60.8 ppg average for the season is third-best in the Big West while the 38.9 percent they're allowing opponents to shoot from the field is also third.
Post Paige Mintun is currently fourth among Big West players in scoring (13.2) and is fifth in rebounding (6.2). She is also first among conference players in free throws at 87.2 percent, good enough for 27th nationally. Freshman Kasey Riecks, whose two free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining helped deliver the win at Long Beach State, averagd 13.5 points in the two road games last weekend.
Cal State Fullerton is ied by All-Big West guard Toni Thomas who is averaging a team-best 13.1 ppg and 6.0 rebounds. Guard Lauren Chow (11.2) has been a threat from long distance, ranking second in the conference at 2.3 per game. The Titans are effective from there as a team, averaging 5.6 made per game. Thursday's game is their first on the road after playing four straight at home.
UC Irvine enters the week trying to snap an 11-game losing streak and post its first win since beating Sacramento State on Dec. 6. The Anteaters, who are being outscored by 16.3 ppg, are paced by guard Rebecca Maessen (12.7 ppg) and guard Mary Has (12.1). Has also leads the team in rebounding at 5.5 while Maessen's .450 rate from beyond the arc ranks her second in the Big West.
