Box Score

IRVINE, Calif. - Freshman Morgan Bertsch scored a career-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the floor and the Aggies closed the game on a 10-3 run to erase a three-point deficit late, lifting No. 4-seeded UC Davis to a 71-67 win over No. 5-seeded UC Santa Barbara and earn a berth to the Big West Conference Tournament semifinals on Wednesday night at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif.

"Morgan was unbelievable," Head Coach Jennifer Gross said. "It's impressive in her first year to be putting up the numbers that she is. Even though 26 is a career-high, she's had multiple 20-point games. She has a knack for putting the ball in the basket."

Advancing to the tournament semifinals for the second straight season, the Aggies improved to 18-12 overall and will meet top-seeded UC Riverside on Friday (March 11) at Noon on ESPN3.com. The Highlanders were the Big West regular season champions, finishing a perfect 16-0 in league play.

The Gauchos finished their season at 12-20 overall, led by 20 points by Makala Roper.

Bertsch, an All-Big West second team and All-Freshman Team selection, broke her career high of 25 points set against Sacramento State earlier in the year, and tied a career high with her 11 field goals made, also accomplished against the Hornets. The 26 points tied a UC Davis Big West Tournament single-game record, set by Kelsey Harris last season against Long Beach State, while the 11 field goals broke Jessica Campbell's mark set against UCSB in 2008.

It was Bertsch's 10th 20-point game of the season as the Santa Rosa, Calif., native added a team-high eight rebounds to fall just shy of her second double-double of the year. She had help from sophomore Pele Gianotti and Celia Marfone, who each chipped in 15 points and combined to finish 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.

"We talked a lot before the game about not being nervous but being relaxed and determined," Bertsch said. "It was ok to have nerves, but to be able to channel it and play with a lot of heart. I felt confident in our team and I didn't have any doubt in my mind that we'd win that game."

UC Davis led by as many as 12 points, and had a 10-point lead with 4:08 to play in the third, only to have UC Santa Barbara battle back, using a 13-2 run to take their first lead since early in the first period. A runner at the buzzer by Rachel Nagel put the Aggies back in front at the end of three.

Seven lead changes in the first four minutes led to a pair of three-point Gaucho leads, the last coming at 64-61 with 4:05 to play on a basket inside by Chaya Durr. That's when UC Davis found it final kick.

A jumper by Marfone was followed by a basket inside by Bertsch to regain the lead, 65-64, with 2:51 to play. Gianotti then provided some breathing room, nailing a three-pointer from the corner to make it a four-point game. Roper answered with a three to bring UC Santa Barbara back to within a point, but the Aggies hit 3-of-4 from the line and got a key stop down the stretch to ice the game.

"I'm really excited to go back to the Honda Center," Marfone said. "This team has worked its butt off since August. We got there last year and we fell a little short. This year we're even more excited. To be facing UC Riverside… it's going to be a great game."

UC Davis hit 47 percent from the field for the game, opening the game hitting 75 percent and closing by shooting 54 percent in the fourth quarter en route to the win. The Gauchos hit 39 percent for the game and edged the Aggies on the boards, 36-35.

Senior Alyson Doherty picked up a pair of blocks for the Aggies -- the second of which came on the Gauchos' final possession in a one-possession game to provide a crucial stop -- and enters Friday standing just three swats shy of Paige Mintun's career record.

UC DAVIS 71, UC SANTA BARBARA 67

UC SANTA BARBARA (12-20)
Roper, Makala 7-18 3-5 20; Jemerigbe, Onome 4-5 3-3 11; Durr, Chaya 3-6 3-5 9; Newton, Je Zhe 2-8 4-7 8; Miller, Coco 2-7 0-0 6; Ware, Jasmine 2-9 0-0 4; Farris, Taylor 2-7 0-0 4; Lopez, Dioseline 1-1 0-0 3; Morrison, Kendra 1-1 0-0 2; Wright, Mi'Chael 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-62 13-20 67.

UC DAVIS (18-12)
Bertsch, Morgan 11-16 4-9 26; Marfone, Celia 4-6 4-4 15; Gianotti, Pele 4-9 5-6 15; Nagel, Rachel 3-5 0-0 7; Doherty, Alyson 2-8 2-3 6; Nafekh, Dani 0-3 2-2 2; McGuire, Taylor 0-1 0-0 0; Eaton, Karley 0-0 0-0 0; Beyer, Lauren 0-0 0-0 0; Eaton, Kourtney 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 24-51 17-24 71.

UC Santa Barbara.............. 10 20 19 18 - 67
UC Davis...................... 20 16 14 21 - 71

3-point goals--UC Santa Barbara 6-17 (Roper, Makala 3-8; Miller, Coco 2-6; Lopez, Dioseline 1-1; Ware, Jasmine 0-2), UC Davis 6-15 (Marfone, Celia 3-3; Gianotti, Pele 2-5; Nagel, Rachel 1-2; McGuire, Taylor 0-1; Eaton, Kourtney 0-3; Nafekh, Dani 0-1). Fouled out--UC Santa Barbara-Durr, Chaya, UC Davis-None. Rebounds--UC Santa Barbara 36 (Durr, Chaya 9), UC Davis 35 (Bertsch, Morgan 8). Assists--UC Santa Barbara 13 (Roper, Makala 4), UC Davis 13 (Eaton, Kourtney 4). Total fouls--UC Santa Barbara 23, UC Davis 14. Technical fouls--UC Santa Barbara-None, UC Davis-None. A-475