SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – It came down to the final possession in a hotly contested Big West matchup on the Central Coast, but UC Davis were unable to convert on its last trip down the floor and hosts Cal Poly hung on for the 57-54 win on Saturday afternoon inside Mott Athletics Center.
With the victory, Cal Poly (6-6, 2-0 Big West) snaps a 15-game losing streak against the Aggies (4-8, 0-2 Big West). This is the Mustangs' first win over UC Davis since 2015.
Davis' team was fairly efficient shooting from the floor (43.9%), but a season-high 24 turnovers were what plagued the Aggie offense.
Megan Norris posted her second double-double of the season, pouring in a team-high 13 points and 10 rebounds in a dominant performance from the reigning Big West Freshman of the Year.
Sydney Burns enjoyed her third game in double digits by dropping 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers. Tova Sabel also found her way into double figures for the fifth straight contest, hitting three triples to finish with 10 points on the day.
How It Happened
UC Davis saw its best sequence of the game in the early minutes, going on an 11-0 run to take an early lead with 4:46 left in the first quarter. UC Davis relied on Burns' three-point shooting in the period as the guard knocked down two shots to account for six of the team's 13 points.
Cal Poly stormed back in the second quarter by out-scoring the Aggies 21-8 to grab a 27-21 lead at the half.
After intermission, UC Davis cut its deficit to 30-26 before going on a 6-0 run to grab a 32-30 lead with 7:00 to go in the third. Catching fire in the third frame was Mazatlan Harris, who exploded for nine straight points with back-to-back triples and a tough three-point play to power her team to a 34-33 lead at the 5:30 mark. However, Cal Poly responded to seize a 42-36 lead entering the fourth quarter.
UC Davis came out of the third quarter break clicking on all cylinders, going on an 11-0 run, finished off by Sabel's three, to seize a 47-42 lead with 6:59 to go in the contest. It came down to the wire as the Aggies trailed by two points with 17 seconds left to play. Sabel found a wide-open Norris for three and the Menlo Park native buried the clutch shot to give UC Davis the lead with 10 seconds to go. After advancing the ball with a timeout, Cal Poly's Natalia Ackerman netted the go-ahead bucket to restore her team's lead. The Aggies nearly made the most of their final possession by drawing a foul to go to the free throw line with two seconds left on the clock. Unfortunately, UC Davis was unable to convert from the line and the Mustangs escaped with the 57-54 win.
Game Notes
» Megan Norris notched a double-double for the Aggies with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
» The Aggies shot well from three point range, knocking down nine of 19 long range attempts.
» The Aggies held the Mustangs to only 39 percent shooting from the field.
» The Aggies shared the ball well, recording an assist on 89 percent of made baskets.
» The UC Davis defense forced 20 turnovers.
» Megan Norris led the Aggies with 13 points.
» UC Davis got a team-high 10 rebounds from Megan Norris.
UP NEXT
The Ags make their return to the University Credit Union Center on Jan. 4 to host UC Riverside. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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