Dec. 5, 2009

Final Stats

DAVIS, Calif. - Kasey Riecks scored 17 points - none bigger than her key three-pointer late in the game - and tied Paige Mintun for game-high scoring honors as the UC Davis women's basketball team won its third straight game with a 64-57 nonconference win over Denver before 1,439 fans on Saturday afternoon at The Pavilion.

The Aggies, who won all three games they played this week, improved to 5-3 overall while Denver, which had four players in double figures led by Britteni Rice's 13 points, lost its fourth straight to fall to 1-5. Heidi Heintz scored 13 points for UC Davis while Brianna Culberson had 12, Ashly Robinson scored 11and Kaetlyn Murdoch added 10 for the Pioneers.

UC Davis led 31-23 at halftime but a 14-2 run by Denver to start the second half put the Pioneers in front, 37-33 with 16 minutes, 43 seconds to play. Paige Mintun's jumper put the Aggies back in front, 41-40, with 11:18 to go before the Pioneers regained the lead and held it until Samantha Meggison's free throw tied it seven minutes later at 48-48.

Paige Mintun's layup with 2 minutes to go gave UC Davis its biggest lead to that point of the half at 56-50 but a 5-0 surge by Denver - keyed by a three-pointer from the corner by Brianna Culberson - cut it to just a point with a minute remaining. Riecks, though, gave UC Davis its biggest points of the night, delivering a trey from the corner nearest the Aggies' bench for a four-point cushion with 37 seconds left. Five free throws down the stretch helped keep the Pioneers away the rest of the way.

Sparked by 12 points from Riecks, UC Davis led for most of the first half, taking its largest led at 27-17 with 3:21 left on a three-pointer from Mintun. Riecks had a pair of treys before the break while the Aggies picked up 10 steals, eventually finishing the game with 13.

The victory capped a busy week of basketball for the Aggies who won road games at Saint Mary's and Santa Clara on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, before coming back with the win on Saturday. Head coach Sandy Simpson credited Denver for playing the Aggies well but noted UC Davis struggled at times on its own accord.

"I don't if it's a product that finals are on us, or that we played three games this week and we're tired maybe mentally and physically," he said, "but it's really nice to see this team had the wherewithal to find a way to win because in the end that's what you've got to do."

Riecks made 5 of 10 shots, including her trio of three-pointers, while adding a pair of assists and two steals. Mintun led UC Davis with six rebounds to go with her 17 points. Heintz was 9 of 10 from the line - the Aggies were an impressive 21 of 23 overall - on her way to a baker's dozen points while guard Hana Asano had a team-high three steals.

Denver shot the ball well, making 55.6 percent (20 of 36) with Rice making three treys and Culberson adding two. Robinson had nine rebounds in addition to her 11 points. The Pioneers committed 26 turnovers. Guard Emiko Smith had a game-high four steals.

UC Davis will take a break for final exams before