DAVIS, Calif. -- Senior Cierra Hall finished with 22 points and sophomore Evanne Turner poured in 20 more, helping UC Davis rally all the way back from down 17 points to defeat visiting Gonzaga, 69-66, on Sunday afternoon at the University Credit Union Center.

The Aggies improved to 6-4 overall on the year with the win, collecting their first win over the Bulldogs in the history of the series in the first meeting between the two since the 2008 WNIT.

Gonzaga, which was receiving votes in the latest USA Today coaches poll and ranked fourth in the College Insider Mid-Major poll, fell to 8-3 overall on the year with the loss, led by 14 points from Melody Kempton that led three Bulldogs in double figures.

Hall hit 7-of-9 from the floor, 3-of-5 from deep, and 5-of-6 from the line en route to her season-high total, grabbing five rebounds, three assists, and a key block with 75 seconds to go that led to two free throws and turned a one-point Aggie advantage into a three-point lead.

Turner hit 8-of-12 overall from the floor and drained four three-pointers to collect her season-high in the point column, scoring 16 of those 20 in the second half and 13 of those in the third quarter alone.

Senior Kayla Konrad added 12 points and six rebounds to go with three assists in 37 minutes, hitting 5-of-8 from the field.

UC Davis found itself down 17 with 1:24 remaining in the first half and trailed by 15 points at 40-25 at the break before mounting its comeback.

After the Bulldogs scored the opening basket of the third quarter, a three-pointer by Hall sparked a 10-0 run that made it a seven-point contest at 42-35 with 7:25 remaining. A 9-2 run by Gonzaga pushed the lead back to 14, but the Aggies finished the quarter with a similar burst capped by a buzzer-beating three by Turner to make it 58-50 heading into the final period.

The Bulldogs' advantage crept back to double figures to start the fourth, but UC Davis was relentless as Konrad scored inside and drained a three-pointer on the team's next possession, followed by a three-point play by Lena Svanholm that brought the Aggies to within two at 62-60.

That set the stage for Hall, pulling up and draining a jumper to tie the game at 62-62 with just over four minutes to play.

Kempton hit a pair from the line on the Bulldogs' last trip down the floor to regain the lead, but that would be the last for Gonzaga. Turner drained another three-pointer for the lead the Aggies would not relinquish as Hall drained her two free throws and Konrad hit another for a four-point advantage.

Hall hit another from the line to make it a five-point game and the defense stood tall. Kempton hit two free throws with five seconds remaining and Gonzaga tied the Aggies up after a timeout, giving the Bulldogs one more chance.

The inbound came to Kaylynne Truong who moved into the front count and unleashed a heave right before the buzzer that missed wide. Hall corralled the rebound as time expired, sealing the victory.

UC Davis shot 16-for-25 (.640) in the second half en route to the win, outscoring Gonzaga, 44-26, while holding the Bulldogs to just 1-of-14 in the fourth quarter.

The Aggies return to the court following a break for the holidays, opening Big West Conference play on the road at UC Riverside on Dec. 28 at 6 p.m., before hosting Hawai'i on New Years Day at 2 p.m.
 

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