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Fans and supporters are invited to join the UC Davis women's basketball student-athletes and coaches at Woodstock's Pizza in Downtown Davis for the announcement. The ESPN selection show begins at 4 p.m.
DAVIS, Calif. - What started as a somewhat benign congratulatory message on an electronic sign at Gate 18 inside Orange County's John Wayne Airport ended with applause, whoops and hollers, and a stirring rendition of the chorus of Queen's "We Are the Champions" by the entire cabin as Southwest Airlines flight 5167 touched down at Sacramento International Airport on Sunday afternoon.
The champions were home.
Mere hours after celebrating on the court at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., with family, friends, fans, and supporters, who were able to make the trip to Southern California, the UC Davis women's basketball team was finally able to share the excitement of the program's second-ever Big West Conference Tournament title with the hometown faithful.
As the bus turned left down Tennis Court Lane, a phalanx of Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh members shifted into high gear as "Aggie Fight" rang out. UC Davis dance and cheer, accompanied by Gunrock, fired up the assembled crowd of fans, university staff members, and assorted well-wishers, whose hurrahs rose in unison as senior psychology major
Kourtney Eaton was the first off the bus, raising the championship trophy in the air.
Gallery: (3/18/2019) Welcome Home Big West Champions!
One by one, the Aggies stepped off to high fives, hugs, and pats on the back, all for a job well done. Media members from local TV stations and photographers captured the moment for posterity, just the beginning of what will be a memorable ride to the NCAA Tournament… one that is long overdue for the Big West's winningest program since UC Davis joined the conference in 2007-08.
Making their third trip to the championship game in the last four years, the top-seeded Aggies were set to face second-seeded Hawai'i in Anaheim, Calif., saddled with the memories of two previous losses in the title tilt — one of those against the very same Rainbow Wahine in 2016.
For 20 minutes on Saturday, things looked bleak. A program that ran roughshod through the 16-game Big West schedule — save for a five-point defeat to Hawai'i in Honolulu back in February — had been limited to just 18 points and 26 percent (7-of-27) shooting from the field.
Turns out, the Aggies had them right where they wanted them.
Trailing by as many as 17 points with just over seven minutes to play in the third quarter, UC Davis regained its regular-season championship form, formulating an epic comeback that saw the Aggies take the lead for good with a 16-0 fourth-quarter run — the decisive bucket a three-pointer by
Sophia Song from the right wing —holding Hawai'i to without a field goal for the final 9:40 of the game en route to the win.
Time to celebrate indeed.
Now, in the midst of final exams, UC Davis awaits the decision of the NCAA selection committee as to where its postseason run will begin. The first step will be taken on Monday evening (March 18) at 4 p.m., with the NCAA selection show on ESPN, when the field of 64 will be announced to the world.
