DAVIS, Calif. — Following a dominant win over Chico State last Sunday, UC Davis women's basketball will wrap up their 2025 non-conference season at home against Northern Colorado on Saturday, Dec. 20.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW

Dec. 20  — vs. Northern Colorado | ESPN+ | Listen | Live Stats | Parking Information | @ucdaviswbb (X/Instagram)


Full Game Notes

GAME NOTES

• Last Time Out: The Aggies are 8-3 on the year following a 74-42 win over Chico State last Sunday. Tegan Young led the offense with 13 points, she was one of four Aggies in double-digits on the day. Megan Norris and Avery Sussex each secured double-doubles, with Norris grabbing her sixth of the season and Sussex securing the first of her career. Defense was strong throughout the game, with the Aggies giving up only 11 points through the second and third quarters.
• Weekly Honors: On Monday, Nov. 10, the Big West Conference announced its first weekly award for the 2025-26 season, with UC Davis guard Ryann Bennett getting the honor for the first time in her career. This honor comes after two consecutive games where Bennett scored 21 points, setting a career-high and then matching it. She's also started the season effectively in other categories, going for six assists, two blocks, and two steals on Friday against Idaho. On Dec. 1, Megan Norris became the second Aggie to be named the Big West Player of the Week, receiving the award for the second time in her career. In the team's annual rivalry game against Sacramento State on Monday, Norris served as the defensive anchor for her team, blocking three shots and stealing four more while playing a career-high 41 minutes in an overtime victory for the Aggies. In back-to-back games against Jacksonville State and Milwaukee at the Tiger Turkey Tip-Off, Norris delivered strong offensive performances, posting a season-high 19 points against the Gamecocks and 17 against the Panthers. She added 11 and 15 rebounds, respectively, securing her third and fourth double-doubles of the season. Norris's five double-doubles also tie her for third in the nation in that category.
• Best in the Big West: UC Davis ranks near the top of the Big West Conference in many categories, ranking fourth in team offense (72 PPG) and second in three point percentage (.351 Pct.), the Aggies are also second in the conference with 10.1 made threes per game. Defensively, the team sits first among conference opponents with 29.6 rebounds per game. Averaging 10.4 rebounds and 2 blocks per game, Megan Norris sits at the top of both categories among conference opponents. Her 17.6 PPG average puts Ryann Bennett fourth in the conference in scoring. The Aggies also continue to be efficient from beyond the arc, putting two in the top seven in the conference for three-point field goal percentage. Bennett ranks sixth in the conference at 41.3% and Sussex is seventh at 40.6%.
• Rising Through The Ranks: Making her first start of her career in the team's season-opener against Jessup, Avery Sussex has continued to make her impact felt for the Aggies, getting the first starts of her career this season while setting a number of new career-highs. Against Boise State on November 14th, Sussex got her moment in the spotlight with a career-high 23 points and five made threes on seven attempts for an unbelievable 71% from beyond the arc. These performances have elevated Sussex among her peers in the Big West Conference, currently ranking seventh with a .406 shooting percentage from three.
• The Road to 1,000 Points: Now in her fifth season with the blue and gold, Megan Norris has continued to make strides as a leader for UC Davis, leading the Aggies in many statistical categories. In the team's Big West opener against Hawai'i on December 4th, she made history by becoming just the 22nd player to score 1,000 or more points for the program.
• Double-Double Machine: In addition to her scoring prowess, Norris has continued to dominate on the glass, racking up 114 rebounds through the first ten games of the season, including a career-high 17 rebounds in the season-opener against Jessup. Performances against Jessup, Idaho, Jacksonville State, Milwaukee, Hawai'i, and Chico State have given Norris a Big West best six double-doubles so far this season. Among NCAA centers, Norris is also tied for fourth in the country in double-doubles, sitting with the likes of Fatima Diakhate from Pitt and Katie Fiso from Oregon.
• First Career Double-Double: Against Chico State on Dec. 14, Avery Sussex set a new career milestone by securing her first collegiate double-double, scoring 10 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. The mark was also significant as Sussex grabbed all 12 boards on the defensive side of the court, showing her strong presence on both aspects of the game.
• Cardiac Ags': Down by as much as 14 in the Aggies' Big West opener against Hawai'i on Dec. 4, the team stormed back to take the win on their home court, going on a 21-2 run in the final five minutes to snatch victory from the hands of defeat. Two days later, in a road matchup with Gonzaga, Davis was tested again when they found themselves down by as much as 30 in Spokane. In the second half, despite a loss, they battled all the way to the end, getting as close as seven in the fourth quarter.
• A Star In The Making: Having already been named the Big West Player of the Week earlier this season, Ryann Bennett continues to get better in her sophomore season after an All-Freshman campaign last season. In the annual Causeway Cup rivalry game against Sacramento State on Nov. 24, she willed her team to an overtime win with a new career-high of 25 points while playing over 44 minutes, also a career-high.
• Preseason Honors: After landing on the All-Big West Second Team and All-Tournament Team a season ago, redshirt senior Megan Norris was named by the conference as one of seven players to be selected to the Big West Preseason Coaches Team. In 33 games for the blue and gold last season, Norris led the Aggies with 251 rebounds, the most in a single season in school history, while also finishing first on the team with 52 blocked shots.
• A Look Back on 2024-25: 2024-25 was a year of milestones for the Aggies, seeing many career and single-season records fall across the board. Against Cal State Fullerton on February 8th, head coach Jennifer Gross made history by becoming the all-time winningest coach in program history, passing her former mentor, Sandy Simpson. A First-Team All-Big West performer, Tova Sabel made her mark in the program record book by becoming just the 21st player to ever score 1,000 career points as an Aggie. Over the summer, she also signed a professional contract with Fila San Martino Di Lupari in Italy. Long-time Aggie Mazatlan Harris also signed a pro contract during the offseason, joining McEvoy's Cavan Eagles in Ireland.
• 2024-25 Recap: UC Davis finished 21-12 last season, slotting in as the third seed in the conference tournament before losing in the championship game to UC San Diego.
• 2025-26 Poll: Aggies were picked third in the Big West preseason coaches' poll, receiving 83 votes and three first-place votes.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

• Northern Colorado is 8-3 on the season, falling 62-79 to the University of Colorado on Tuesday.
• Offensively, the Bears are led by Neenah George, who scored a career-high 26 points against Lamar University on Nov. 8.
• Tatum West serves as the defensive anchor for the team, with her 4.1 offensive rebounds per game putting her 17th in the NCAA in that category.
• The Bears also get plenty of offensive support from their second unit, ranking 11th in the nation with 33.4 bench points per game.
• Saturday will mark the first time the Aggies and Bears have ever faced one another.

SEASON NOTES

• This season marks year 15 for UC Davis head coach Jennifer Gross. Last season, Gross made Aggie history by becoming the winningest coach in program history, passing her mentor, Sandy Simpson, with 252 wins. She currently sits at 266 wins and counting.
• Gross returns all of her coaching staff from last season, including long-time associate head coach Joe Teramoto, now in his 20th year on staff, and 15th-year assistant coach Matt Klemin.
• Also returning is former Tennessee Volunteer Vicki Baugh, who works primarily with the post players, Director of Operations Mia Gallo, and Video Coordinator Dejza James.
• Despite the departure of names such as Tova Sabel and Sydney Burns, the Aggies bring back a number of big contributors from last season, including 2025 Second-Team All-Big West player Megan Norris, All-Freshman Ryann Bennett, and All-Defense Nya Epps.
• Other returners from last season include Sahana Kanagasabay, Ally Fitzgerald, Avery Sussex, Theoni Tsami, and Victoria Baker.
• Additionally, the team has also brought in a trio of talented freshmen, Carrington Davis from Rialto, Sophie Lentfer from Anchorage, Alaska, and Emmy Ersdala from Sweden, who was also a member of the Swedish National Team.
• Transfers Tegan Young and Helen Matthews have also been brought in to strengthen an already experienced Aggie squad. Young comes in after two years at Manhattan University, and Matthews is a graduate transfer who joins the team after five seasons at Wofford.
• This is the final season for UC Davis in the Big West before the team transitions to the Mountain West in 2026-27, and the team looks to end its long tenure in the conference on a high note with a championship and another appearance in March Madness.

ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: 

UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked #1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as #1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27. 

For more information, visit https://ucdavisaggies.com/.