HENDERSON, Nev. -- UC Davis saw its thrilling postseason tournament run come to an end in the Big West Conference Championship game when two-seed UC Irvine earned the 53-39 victory to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Aggies (20-14, 13-7 Big West) seemed to run out of gas, playing their fourth game in the last four days and posted their lowest point total of the season. UC Davis shot just 26.4% from the field and made just five of its 27 attempts from beyond the arc. Davis' team will look fondly upon the 2023-24 season after reaching the 20-win mark for the sixth time since ascending to Division I and reaching the Big West title game for the seventh time.
Evanne Turner delivered an excellent performance in her final game as an Aggie, dropping a team-high 18 points while hitting four three-pointers and pulling down seven boards. The Fontana native concludes her career with the third-most points in program history with 1,662 over her five seasons. She was the only Aggie in double figures, however, as Tova Sabel was the second-best scorer with seven points on the day. Mazatlan Harris added two points, eight rebounds and three steals.
How It Happened
In a hard-fought matchup, UC Davis initially struggled, trailing 16-9 at the close of the first quarter. UC Irvine capitalized on this lead, extending it to 18-9. However, UC Davis mounted a spirited comeback, narrowing the deficit to 18-17 with an 8-0 run, fueled by Victoria Baker's clutch bucket. Just before the halftime whistle blew, Turner went coast-to-coast to beat the buzzer and giver her team some momentum at the break At halftime, the Aggies found themselves trailing 21-19.
The second half saw UC Davis' deficit widen, facing a daunting 44-23 margin heading into the fourth quarter. Despite the challenge, UC Davis showcased strength near the basket, securing two of its four points in the paint.
UC Irvine maintained its dominance in the final quarter, constructing a 53-29 lead. Yet, UC Davis rallied, embarking on a 10-0 run, culminating in Nya Epps' decisive jumper. The deficit narrowed to 53-39 with just 45 seconds remaining, a score that held until the end.
Game Notes
» The Aggies held the Anteaters to only 34.7 percent shooting from the field.
» Evanne Turner and Tova Sabel carried the load for the Aggies, accounting for 64 percent their points.
» The UC Davis defense forced 16 turnovers.
» UC Davis cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 11 offensive boards in the game.
» Evanne Turner led the Aggies with 18 points.
» UC Davis got a team-high eight rebounds from Mazatlan Harris.
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