Dec. 19, 2010

Final Stats

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Heidi Heintz led four players in double figures with 14 points and UC Davis used a 14-4 run at the end of the first half to take the lead for good as the Aggies rolled to a 78-55 nonconference women's basketball win over Causeway Classic rival Sacramento State on Sunday afternoon at The Nest.

UC Davis won for the second straight game and fifth time in the past six, improving to 8-2 overall; its best start since the 2001-02 season when it was also 8-2. The Hornets, who were held to a season-low scoring total, were paced by 11 points from guard Sami Field-Polisso. They lost their fourth straight game, falling to 3-10.

Senior Paige Mintun added 12 points and team-high eight rebounds for UC Davis while Vicky Deely and Lauren Juric came off the bench to each score 10. Mallorie Franco scored 10 points for Sacramento State while Kyle Kuhns, who entered the week tied for the nation's rebounding lead, finished with a game-high 12.

The game was also worth 10 points in the all-sports Causeway Cup competition between the schools with UC Davis extending its lead to 47.5-15.0 points. There are 100 points up for grabs overall.

Sparked by four points from Kuhns, the Hornets scored seven straight points to take an early 7-2 lead on Sunday afternoon. But Heintz, Hana Asano and Hannah Stephens each made layups - part of a 12-0 surge that was capped by treys from Mintun and Stephens - that put UC Davis up 14-7 with 12 minutes, 45 seconds left in the half.

The Aggies didn't trail the rest of the way although Sacramento State tied the game at 24-all with 5:09 to go after two free throws from Field-Polisso. However Juric made a layup, Blair Shinoda had a couple of free throws and Mintun added another charity shot to make it 29-24 as UC Davis went on to end the half on a 14-4 run. Heintz capped the half with a three-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Aggies a 38-28 lead at the break.

They opened the second half by scoring 10 of the first 11 points for a 19-point cushion at 48-29 with 16:45 left. The Hornets got to within 14 points on a pair of occasions midway through the second half but would not get any closer as UC Davis posted its second straight win over its local rivals.

Sacramento State came into the game averaging 78.6 ppg but was held to its lowest total of the season and for the first time below 60. The Aggies also held a decisive 50-39 rebounding advantage - just the second time this season they've outboarded an opponent - grabbing 23 from the offensive glass.

They also matched their season-high for points which they also achieved last Tuesday at Wichita State.

"For the most part I thought we forced them to play offense in the half court and we didn't give them a lot of transition opportunities," said Aggie coach Sandy Simpson. "The game plan going in was to force them into a half-court game for them offensively and to beat them on the boards. I thought we did both those things."

He was also very pleased with UC Davis' overall effort.

"The biggest thing tonight was I just thought we played with great energy," Simpson said. "Everytime Sac State would make a little run, we responded. It was everybody that contributed."

UC Davis, which has two nonconference games remaining before beginning the Big West Conference season on Dec. 31 at home against Cal State Fullerton, stays on the road for a 7 p.m. game on Tuesday at San Jose State.