Nov. 13, 2011

Final Stats

SEATTLE, Wash. - Samantha Meggison scored a career-high 18 points and recorded a career-high seven steals to lead the UC Davis women's basketball team to a 66-62 win over Seattle on Sunday at the Connolly Center in Seattle.

UC Davis opens the 2011-12 campaign with a 2-0 record while Seattle drops to 1-1.

In the first half, UC Davis dominated on both ends of the floor, shooting 5-of-9 from three-point land to build a 27-9 lead with 6:32 left in the half while also forcing 13 Seattle turnovers.

Kacie Sowell knocked down 4-of-6 shots in the first half for Seattle, but the Aggies took a 31-16 lead into the locker room behind Courtney French's 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range. The UC Davis defense also finished the half with 13 steals.

Meggison opened the second half with five points for UC Davis, but Seattle continued to chip away at the Aggie lead with three-pointers from Ellie Kerfoot and Talisa Rhea.

Rhea provided an offensive spark for the Redhawks, knocking down a long three and laying in a shot to cut the Aggie lead to 10 points with 11:34 left in the game.

Brenda Adhiambo hit a free throw and scored a wide-open layup to bring Seattle only nine points back of UC Davis with 9:50 left. Kacie Sowell added in a free throw of her own and Daidra Brown knocked down a five-foot jumper to cut the score to 49-43 in favor of UC Davis.

Adhiambo brought Seattle to only a basket down, but Hannah Stephens answered with a huge three-pointer of her own to keep UC Davis ahead 52-47 with 7:24 left.

Meggison's layup, followed by a steal and a layup from Stephens gave UC Davis back a nine-point lead as the Aggies went up 58-49 with 5:42 left.

Seattle would come rallying back yet again after Sowell collected an offensive rebound and hit a layup. Rhea followed wih another three, her third of the half, and the Redhawks were down only 60-56 with 3:16 to go.

The Aggies began to pull away again after Meggison dropped in a layup with 2:43 to go and Hana Asano made one of two free throws, putting UC Davis up 63-56 with 30 seconds left.

Rhea stepped up again, however, drawing a foul as she attempted a three-point shot, then knocking down all three free throws. She then dished out a pass to Kerfoot who hit a three with 10 seconds left to bring the score to 64-62.

Two more free throws from Meggison would seal the win as Elle Kerfoot would miss a trey on the other end of the court and Blair Shinoda grabbed the rebound as time expired.

Meggison led three Aggies in double digits as Asano and Shinoda each finished with 10 points. Sowell paced the Redhawks with a double-double, scoring 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting while grabbing 13 rebounds. Rhea added 16 points and was a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line.

The Aggie defense finished the game with 20 steals and forced 25 Seattle turnovers.

UC Davis returns to The Pavilion for a three-game homestand beginning with a 7 p.m. tipoff against San Jose State on Wednesday.