FULLERTON, Calif. — Senior biomedical engineering major Morgan Bertsch finished with a game-high 19 points in 22 minutes to lead two other teammates in double figures, and visiting UC Davis clamped down on defense, limiting Cal State Fullerton to just 26 percent shooting from the field en route to a 75-39 victory on Saturday afternoon at Titan Gym.

Hitting 55 percent overall from the field and from beyond the arc for the game, the Aggies improved to 13-6 overall and 5-1 in Big West Conference play, winning their fourth consecutive game and their 10th in the last 11.

Led by 10 points from Hannah Thompson, the Titans fell to 11-7 overall and 3-2 in league play, held to just 15 first-half points and suffering their ninth consecutive loss in the series.

The 39 points allowed by the UC Davis defense were the fewest since the Aggies posted a 59-39 victory over Fullerton on Jan. 28, 2017. Meanwhile, the .259 field goal percentage by the Titans is the lowest by a Division I opponent and the fourth time that UC Davis has held an opponent under 30 percent shooting from the field this season.

Bertsch finished 8-of-13 from the floor for the game, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out four assists in the win, extending her double-digit scoring streak to 54 consecutive games and moving to within 21 points of Idaho's Alli Nieman (1996-00) for sixth on the Big West's all-time scoring list. Her six rebounds also gave her another milestone, becoming only the fifth player in the program's Division I history to reach 600 for a career.

Sophomore cell biology major Cierra Hall added 11 points on 4-of-5 from the floor, adding three rebounds in 19 minutes. Junior communication major Nina Bessolo came off the bench to add 11 more points on 4-of-7 shooting, adding three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 20 minutes.

Eleven different Aggies found their way into the scoring column as UC Davis posted its second-best single-game shooting performance of the season, trailing only the .579 from the field against Nevada, hitting better than 50 percent in all four quarters — including a 62 percent clip in the third quarter.

Trailing for only 26 seconds after Fullerton scored the opening basket, the Aggies scored the next seven points and closed the first quarter on an 11-2 run to lead by 10 after the first period. UC Davis came out of the huddle to score the first five points of the second quarter and closed the half on a 13-0 run to turn a 10-point lead into a 38-15 lead at the break.

The Titans were held scoreless for nearly eight minutes between the second and third quarters as the Aggies led by as many as 39 points en route to the final 36-point margin.

UC Davis returns to The Pavilion for a pair of games next weekend, welcoming Long Beach State on Thursday (Jan. 31) and CSUN on Saturday (Feb. 2). Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.

AGGIE EVO
Launched in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.