DAVIS, Calif. — After a two-week road trip, UC Davis women's basketball returns home this weekend for a pair of Big West rematches. The action begins on Thursday, Jan. 29, when the team plays CSUN at 6:00 p.m. PT before wrapping up against Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 2:00 p.m. PT.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW

Jan. 29  — vs. CSUN | ESPN+ | Listen | Live Stats | Parking Information | @ucdaviswbb (X/Instagram)

Jan. 31  — vs. Cal State Bakersfield | ESPN+ | Listen | Live Stats | Parking Information | @ucdaviswbb (X/Instagram)


Full Game Notes

GAME NOTES

• Last Time Out: The Aggies are 14-6 on the year with a 7-2 conference record after taking home big wins over UC San Diego and UC Riverside last weekend. Against the Highlanders, Megan Norris led the way with 21 points and 12 rebounds. This contest was her second straight with 20+ points, and it's her fourth straight double-double, her 13th of the season. Avery Sussex also went for 21 points, her fourth time this year with 20 or more points in a game. Achieving the mark on four made three pointers. Ryann Bennett and Nya Epps rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 and 10, respectively. Each player also had seven rebounds, and Bennett led the team with six assists. A 50-point first half marked the first time the team has achieved that mark since going for 53 in the first half against Cal Maritime last season.
• 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. On Jan. 26, Norris was named Player of the Week for a second time after back-to-back 20+ point performances on the road. Against UC San Diego, she led the way with 23 points along with three blocks and three steals to hand the Tritons their first conference loss of the season. Two days later in Riverside, she led her team again with 21 points with three triples. In addition to her scoring prowess, Norris also led the Aggies in rebounding over the weekend, grabbing 16 boards on Thursday and 12 on Saturday. These performances led her to her 12th and 13th double-doubles of the season, putting her tied for second in the nation in that category. Her 11.8 rebounds per game also puts her fifth in the NCAA.
• Best in the Big West: UC Davis ranks near the top of the Big West Conference in many categories, ranking fifth in team offense (69.5 PPG) and fourth in three-point percentage (.321 Pct.). The Aggies are also second in the conference with 8.9 made threes per game and in free throws at .768 percent. Defensively, the team sits first among conference opponents with 29.1 rebounds per game. Averaging 11.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, Megan Norris sits at the top of both categories in the Big West conference. Her 15.1 PPG average puts Ryann Bennett in the top ten in the conference in scoring. The Aggies also continue to be efficient from beyond the arc, with Avery Sussex ranking eighth in the conference at 37.2%.
• 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 .372 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 dominante on the glass, racking up 237 rebounds through the first 16 games of the season, including a career-high 18 rebounds against UC Santa Barbara. Performances against Jessup, Idaho, Jacksonville State, Milwaukee, Hawai'i, Chico State, CSUN, CSUB, UCSB, CSUF, UCI, UCSD, and UCR have given Norris a Big West best 13 double-doubles so far this season. Among NCAA centers, Norris is also tied for second in the country in double-doubles, sitting with the likes of Khamil Pierre of NC State and Reagan Beers from Oklahoma. Her rebounding prowess also puts Norris in fifth place in the nation with 11.9 rebounds per game.
• Climbing the Rebounds List: Entering the season just outside of the top ten of the UC Davis all-time rebounding list, Norris has quickly climbed the ranks of the list, passing a number of former Cal Aggie Hall of Famers on her way to fourth on the list at the end of 2025. On New Year's Day 2026 against CSUN, she solidified herself as an all-time Aggie great by passing Colleen Turnbull for third on the all-time list. Now, currently sitting at 891 career rebounds and under 50 boards away from second place, Norris looks to further solidify her mark on the program.
• Single Season Supremacy: Last year, Megan Norris rewrote the record books with 251 rebounds, the most in a single season in the team's Division I history, to pass Cal Aggie Hall of Famer Cierra Hall. Now up to 237 rebounds, less than 70 from catching Lisa Jo Kellogg for the most in a single season in Aggie history. She has 11 regular-season games left to further solidify her place as a future Cal Aggie Hall of Famer.
• First Career Double-Doubles: 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. In a conference matchup with Cal State Fullerton, Ryann Bennett also hit a significant milestone with her first career double-double of 14 points and 10 assists. Additionally, her 10 assists marked the first time an Aggie has had 10 or more in a game since Mackenzie Trpcic hit the milestone in a matchup with Oregon in 2021.
• 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 Look Back At Non-Conference Play: Ending the non-conference season with a 7-4 record, the Aggies found themselves at the receiving end of many team and individual accolades. In the teams opener against Jessup, Megan Norris set a career-high 17 rebounds while passing 100 blocks in her career. Her 17 boards also set a single game Divison I record for UC Davis. Playing Sac State in overtime for just the fourth time in rivalry history, the Aggies emerged victorious over the Hornets for the eighth time in the last nine contests. Ryann Bennett and Megan Norris each received Big West POTW honors.
• 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. In the Aggies' Big West road opener against CSUN on New Year's Day, Bennett took another step up by breaking her previous career-high with 26 points. She hit this mark on 12 made field goals, also a career-high.
• Electric Epps: In a road game against Cal State Bakersfield on January 3rd, senior Nya Epps had a breakout day, setting career-highs in both points (28) and made free throws (10) At 13.1 points per game, she's currently second on the team in scoring while also sitting second defensively with 20 steals.
• 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 OPPONENTS

• CSUN is 6-12 on the season with a 2-7 mark in Big West play, dropping a close home game to Hawai'i last Saturday.
• Averaging 11.1 points per game, Rita Nazario leads the Matadors in scoring. She also serves as a defensive threat for the team, grabbing 23 steals and 54 rebounds.
• Jite Gbemuotor sits as the presence in the middle, putting in three double-doubles on the season while grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds against Cal Poly.
• The Aggies lead the all-time series 36-16 over the Matadors, beating the team 85-66 back on New Year's Day.
• Cal State Bakersfield is 6-13 and 1-8 on the year. The Roadrunners will play Cal Poly on Thursday before making the trip to Davis.
• CSUB's top offensive weapon this season has been guard Chrishawn Coleman, who ranks fourth in the Big West this season with 17.1 points per game. 
• Center Tena Ikidi has been a threat on both ends all season, averaging 6.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest. 
• Bakersfield holds a slim 9-10 lead in the all-time series over Davis; however, the Aggies have won the last seven, including a 69-59 victory back on Jan. 3.

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 272 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 Director of Administration 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/.