DAVIS, Calif. -- Using a big night from Evanne Turner in her return from injury, UC Davis hung on for a 58-54 win over CSUN in a Thursday night game that came down to the wire inside the University Credit Union Center.
With the win, the Aggies (14-12, 10-6 Big West) clinch a spot in the Big West Conference Championships and back-to-back season with 10 or more wins in conference play.
Jennifer Gross' team came up with another spectacular defensive showing to earn the victory by holding the Matadors to just 28.6% from the field. The defense truly shined in the third quarter when CSUN only scored five points after going 1-of-14 over that 10-minute span.
Turner delivered a huge performance, matching her season-high with 23 points in a 9-for-19 showing. Megan Norris finished just one rebound shy of a double-double as the center totaled 10 points and collected nine boards on the night.
How It Happened
UC Davis showed some great energy on the defensive end early in the contest, forcing six straight misses to hold CSUN scoreless for the opening three minutes. Norris got the Aggies going offensively by pouring in six straight points to begin her excellent night. The Matadors clawed their way back into it despite the slow start, evening things up at 9-9 with just over a minute left in the period. Both teams shot below 30% in the first 10 minutes, and in a low-scoring first quarter, the visitors managed an 11-10 lead.
A three-ball from Harris opened the second-quarter scoring as the Aggies started to find some rhythm offensively. Bria Shine got involved by dropping a three-pointer to cap off a 13-4 run to start the second period, forcing a CSUN timeout. Turner found the shooting stroke, nailing back-to-back three pointers to push the lead into double figures and lead UC Davis to a 31-22 advantage at the break.
Dominant defense showed up for the Aggies to start the second half when the Matadors were forced into another 0-for-6 stretch while committing three turnovers. Davis' team was unable to take advantage, however, going 1-for-7 over the same stretch. The teams combined to go just 6-for-29 in the period, but another big three-pointer from Shine and an incredible buzzer-beater from Turner powered the Aggies to a 45-27 lead after three.
Sydney Burns enjoyed a 2-for-2 start to the final period to keep the momentum on the Aggies' side. The visitors replied with a 15-4 run over a four-minute period to cut the lead to just three with 57 seconds remaining. UC Davis took care of business in the final minute when Burns made a pair of clutch free throw and Shine came up with two steals on CSUN's final two possessions to preserve the 58-54 win.
Game Notes
» The Aggies held the Matadors to only 28.6 percent shooting from the field.
» UC Davis never trailed in the second half on its way to victory.
» The UC Davis defense forced 14 turnovers.
» The Aggies were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording five blocks as a team.
» Evanne Turner led the Aggies with a game-high 23 points.
» UC Davis got a team-high nine rebounds from Megan Norris.
UP NEXT
The Ags are back at home on Feb. 24 to host Cal State Bakersfield. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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