DAVIS, Calif. -- UC Davis rode an outstanding shooting day to a big win on February 23, as they beat Hawaii by the score of 72-46. The Aggies were helped to the blowout victory at The Pavilion by the 20 points of senior biomedical engineering major Morgan Bertsch.

The victory moves UC Davis' overall record to 19-6, 11-1 in Big West play. Hawaii drops to 11-15, 7-6 in the conference, with the defeat.

In addition to the 20 points from Bertsch, the Aggies were bolstered by senior psychology major Kourtney Eaton, who put up 12 points and three steals, as well as senior psychology major Karley Eaton's 16 points. Hawaii was paced by nine points and two steals from Myrrah Joseph and Tia Kanoa, who finished with nine points, six rebounds and two steals.

UC Davis started strong from the tip, opening up a lead of 20-7 after the first quarter. The Aggies took advantage of five Hawaii turnovers and scored eight points off those takeaways in the opening period. Hawaii shot only 30.0% from the field and didn't connect on a three in the frame.

After a first quarter that put them in control, UC Davis expanded their advantage through quarter number two and headed into halftime leading 34-17. The lead at the break was due in part to the outstanding play of Eaton, who put up nine points in the first half.

UC Davis managed to preserve their halftime edge in the third quarter, as they entered the fourth period leading 51-36.

UC Davis finished strong in the fourth, expanding their third-quarter lead and winning by the final of 72-46. The victory was fueled in part by the outstanding second-half play of Bertsch, who put up 11 points to finish out the victory.

Over the span of the game, UC Davis shot 45.1% from the field, including 61.9% from three, and knocked down 13 shots from downtown. Hawaii, on the other hand, finished 42.9% from the field and 28.6% from three, nailing four shots from deep. The Aggies received a significant contribution from their bench as well, as 19 of their 72 points came from non-starters. Hawaii had control of the boards in the contest, outrebounding UC Davis 30-25 and controlling the offensive glass at a 7-6 clip. UC Davis was more careful taking care of the basketball than Hawaii. The Aggies turned the ball over 10 times, while Hawaii coughed it up on 21 occasions. UC Davis took advantage of the giveaways, scoring 20 points off those turnovers in the contest.

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.