Feb. 7, 2009

Final Stats

DAVIS, Calif. - Seyram Gbewonyo scored a game-high 23 points, including five in overtime, as UC Riverside rallied after trailing most of the game to record an exciting 47-44 Big West Conference women's basketball win at The Pavilion on Saturday night.

UC Davis played with just seven healthy players - including six freshmen - after injuries to starters Paige Mintun and Genevieve Costello sidelined them for the game. The Aggies lost their fifth consecutive game to fall to 7-14 overall and 3-7 in the Big West. Lauren Juric had 14 points and 12 rebounds while Kasey Riecks had 11 points.

The Highlanders ran their winning streak to seven games, improving to 13-9 overall and 9-1 in the league. They remained one game behind leader UC Santa Barbara. Jessie Schmuckal scored 12 points for UC Riverside while Roney Friend had 11 rebounds.

The Aggies held the Highlanders without a point for nearly nine minutes to start the game, led 23-16 at halftime, and were still up by seven points with 4 minutes, 18 seconds left in regulation before UC Riverside rallied. Gbewonyo hit a three-pointer with 2:09 left to make it 36-34 and the delivered the Highlanders a 37-36 lead with another with 47 ticks remaining.

After Juric scored inside to put the Aggies back in front, UC Riverside tied it when Chanel Foster was fouled on a three-point attempt with 10 seconds left and made one of her three tries from the stripe. The Highlanders got a late turnover and had a chance to win in regulation but could not convert.

Juric scored the first points of the extra period but UC Riverside scored seven straight - including five from Gbewonyo - to go up 45-40. The Aggies got back to within a point but Kemie Nkele's jumper put the Highlanders back up by three. Cortney French just missed a long three-point try with nine seconds which would've tied it again.

The Highlanders beat UC Davis for the second time this season after rallying for a four-point win in January.

"Playing Riverside is like being in the movie 'Groundhog Day,'" said Aggie coach Sandy Simpson. "The score changes a slightly but it is the same battle every time with them it seems like. It's usually low-scoring, both teams playing hard, both teams playing well defensively, and we love the rivalry with them."

Starting four freshmen against a UC Riverside lineup that featured four seniors, the Aggies got the early upper-hand. Riecks scored the first five points for UC Davis as it took an 11-0 lead after just less than nine minutes. The Aggies' defense, meanwhile, helped force the Highlanders to miss their first 13 shots and not get on the scoreboard until Schmuckal made two free throws with 11:02 left in the half.

Gbewonyo's three-pointer near the midway point broke their shooting drought and made it 13-5. UC Davis held UC Riverside to just 18 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes and held an 18-16 rebounding advantage while taking a seven-point lead at the break. The Aggies led by as many as 12 points before halftime.

UC Davis continued to hold the lead throughout the second half before UC Riverside gradually cut the lead down the stretch.

Gbewonyo had four three-pointers to help with her 23 points.

The Aggies, who remain in a fifth-place tie with Cal State Fullerton, face a key roadtrip to Southern California next weekend. They will play at UC Irvine on Thursday before facing Fullerton on Saturday.