LA JOLLA, Calif. - UC Davis used another stellar defensive effort to pick up an important Big West Conference victory over hosts UC San Diego on Saturday afternoon inside LionTree Arena.
The Aggies (10-9, 6-3 Big West) held the Tritons (8-12, 4-5 Big West) to just 31.7% from the field just 49 points in the contest, the fourth time Jennifer Gross' defense has held an opponent under 50 points this season.
The duo of Evanne Turner and Megan Norris proved to be the focal point of UC Davis' scoring attack, dropping 12 points each to lead the team. Turner went scoreless in first half action but started to find her stroke when she buried a couple three-pointers in the early minutes of the third quarter to power a dominant second-half display for the Aggies. Coming up with a game-high seven rebounds was Norris, pouring 12 points as the center continues her excellent sophomore season.
Mazatlan Harris, coming off of her first career double-double, flirted with another after scoring 10 points and grabbing six boards. She nailed two triples and went 4-of-5 from the floor while playing some great defense on the other end of the floor.
The UC Davis offense was impressive from beyond the arc, pouring in nine threes on 26 attempts. Bria Shine delivered a big performance off the bench, hitting two treys and going a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor to finish with eight points.
How It Happened
UC Davis went on a 7-0 run with 8:08 left in the first quarter, capped off by Harris' first three-ball, to increase its lead to 10-2. The Aggies allowed the hosts to regain some momentum, but managed to enter the quarter break with a 19-14 advantage. UC Davis relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down five shots to account for 15 of its 19 points.
UCSD rallied to take a 33-28 lead before UC Davis went on a 6-0 run starting at the 3:07 mark in the second period, highlighted by a bucket from Lena Svanholm, to take a 34-33 lead, a score that would hold until halftime. UC Davis was strong from deep in the period, knocking down two three-point shots to account for six of its 15 points.
The Aggies got the started they wanted in the second half when they turned to their leading scorer, Turner, who knocked down a pair of triples to expand its lead to 42-33 with 7:20 to go in the third. The Tritons had one more run in them, but the Aggies still entered the fourth quarter with a 46-42 edge.
Sydney Burns' layup finished off another 8-0 run and suddenly the Aggies were out of sight after seeing their lead grow to 54-42 with 7:23 to go in the contest. The Aggies kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 62-49 win. UC Davis took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 12 of its 16 points in the paint.
Game Notes
» UC Davis lit it up from beyond the arc, knocking down nine treys in the game.
» The Aggies held the Tritons to only 31.4 percent shooting from the field.
» The UC Davis defense forced 15 turnovers.
» Megan Norris and Evanne Turner led the Aggies with 12 points apiece.
» UC Davis got a game-high seven rebounds from Megan Norris.
UP NEXT
The Ags make their return to the University Credit Union Center on Feb. 1 when they host UC Santa Barbara. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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