Score: UC Davis 66, Cal Poly 60
Location: San Luis Obispo, Calif. (Mott Athletics Center)
Records: UC Davis 4-4 (1-0), Cal Poly 3-5 (0-1)
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The short story: Senior guard
Tova Sabel poured in twenty points as the UC Davis women's basketball team pushed past the Cal Poly Mustangs 66-60 in the Big West conference opener.
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OPENING TIPÂ
- Sabel led all scorers with 20 points, also pulling down five rebounds.
- Nya Epps also posted a double-digit scoring night, adding 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
- The Aggies were very efficient on the floor, shooting 51.1% from the field, including a field goal percentage of 89% in the first quarter.
- Davis went to the line often, putting up 26 free throws in the game.
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HOW IT HAPPENEDÂ
- Davis used a productive first quarter well, scoring eight of nine from the field including baskets from Epps, Megan Norris, and Mazatlan Harris to hold a 22-15 lead at the break.
- The Mustangs looked to respond in the second, scoring three of the first four buckets to open the quarter.
- Excellent team defense from the Aggies with steals from Clara Glad and Sydney Burns held the Cal Poly scorers in check, limiting their opponent to only three scores the rest of the half.
- However, the Aggies only led by seven, 34-27, at the halfway point of the game.
- Coming into the second half, Cal Poly began to apply pressure on the visiting team, cashing in an early three to put them within two, 36-34.
- But Davis refused to back down, as a triple from Sabel two plays later pushed them back up five.
- Another layup from the Mustangs put them within one possession, but stifling defense from the Aggies kept them away from the basket for nearly four minutes of game time, giving them the 43-41 lead going into the final 10 minutes.
- In the final period, Davis found their rhythm once again, limiting Cal Poly to only four points through the first nine minutes while building a 10-point lead, 58-48.
- A quick three from the Mustangs pushed them back within seven.
- In the last 60 seconds of play, both teams played conservatively, combining for 12 free throws. Ultimately, the Aggies came out on top, winning the road contest 66-60.
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UP NEXT: Davis will stay on the road to wrap up the weekend in Santa Barbara with a Saturday night showdown against the Gauchos on Dec. 7. The game is set to tipoff at 4:00 p.m. PT.
