SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Thanks to 27 points, seven rebounds and two steals from senior biomedical engineering major Morgan Bertsch, UC Davis won big on February 7, beating UC Santa Barbara 70-44 at The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, Calif.
The victory moves UC Davis' overall record to 16-6, 8-1 in Big West play. UC Santa Barbara drops to 4-17, 1-7 in conference, with the defeat.
In addition to the 27 points, seven rebounds and two steals from Bertsch, the Aggies were led by sophomore cell biology major Cierra Hall, who put up 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists, as well as senior psychology major Kourtney Eaton's five points, six assists, two steals and two blocks. UC Santa Barbara was paced by nine points from Bri Anugwom and Tal Sahar, who finished with nine points.
UC Davis started strong from the tip, opening up a lead of 18-10 after the first quarter. The Aggies shot 41.2% from the field in the period, including 16.7% from three, where they nailed one shot. On the other end of the floor, UC Santa Barbara shot only 27.8% from the field and didn't connect on a three in the period.
After a first quarter that put them in control, UC Davis expanded their edge through quarter number two and headed into halftime leading 37-18. The Aggies lead at the break was partly due to the excellent effort of Bertsch, who produced 12 points in the first half.
UC Davis then took that halftime edge and built on it, expanding the advantage to 54-30 heading into the fourth quarter. UC Santa Barbara shot 25.0% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the arc, where they made one three.
UC Davis finished strong in the fourth quarter, expanding their third quarter lead and winning by the final of 70-44. The Aggies victory was fueled in part by the outstanding second half play of Bertsch, who put up 15 points to finish out the victory.
Overall, UC Davis shot 44.8% from the field, including 21.4% from three, and nailed three shots from downtown. UC Santa Barbara, on the other hand, finished 23.9% from the field and 17.4% from three, knocking down four shots from deep. The Aggies received a significant contribution from their bench as well, as 16 of their 70 points came from non-starters. The Aggies outrebounded UC Santa Barbara 47-43 in the contest, but were bested on the offensive glass 20-12. UC Davis was more careful taking care of the basketball than UC Santa Barbara. The Aggies turned the ball over 12 times, while UC Santa Barbara coughed it up on 13 occasions.
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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.
