DAVIS, Calif. -- Propelled by 30 points and nine rebounds from senior biomedical engineering major Morgan Bertsch, UC Davis defeated UC Riverside, 72-59, on February 14 at The Pavilion in Davis, Calif.

The win moves UC Davis' overall record to 18-6, 10-1 in conference play. UC Riverside drops to 11-12, 5-6 in the Big West, with the defeat.

In addition to the 30 points and nine rebounds from Bertsch, the Aggies were helped by sophomore cell biology major Cierra Hall, who put up seven points and eight rebounds, as well as senior psychology major Karley Eaton's eight points and five assists. UC Riverside was paced by 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals from Jannon Otto and Keilanei Cooper, who finished with 13 points.

UC Davis started strong from the jump, opening up a lead of 12-11 after the first quarter.

After a first quarter that put them ahead, UC Davis expanded their lead through quarter number two and headed into halftime leading 29-21. The Aggies lead at the break was partly due to the excellent effort of Bertsch, who produced 13 points in the first half.

UC Davis managed to preserve their halftime lead in the third quarter, as they entered the fourth period leading 49-42. The Aggies bench gave them a huge spark in the period, accounting for eight of their 20 points.

UC Davis finished strong in the fourth quarter, expanding their third-quarter lead and winning by the final of 72-59. The Aggies victory was fueled in part by the outstanding second-half play of Bertsch, who put up 17 points and seven rebounds to finish out the victory.

Over the course of the contest, UC Davis shot 48.1% from the field, including 35.7% from three, and made five shots from downtown. UC Riverside, on the other hand, finished 35.8% from the field and 20.0% from three, knocking down four shots from deep. The Aggies received a significant contribution from their bench as well, as 17 of their 72 points came from non-starters. The Aggies won the battle on the boards, outrebounding UC Riverside 42-30 and winning the offensive glass 8-7. UC Davis made good use of those offensive rebounds to produce nine second chance points. UC Davis was less cautious taking care of the basketball than UC Riverside. The Aggies turned the ball over 14 times, while UC Riverside coughed it up on nine occasions.
 

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.