DAVIS, Calif. — In the first triple overtime contest in UC Davis women's basketball history,
Megan Norris made history with a single game record 29 rebounds, helping lead her team to an 88-80 victory over UC San Diego on Thursday, Feb. 12.
Score: UC Davis 88, UC San Diego 80
Location: Davis, Calif. (University Credit Union Center)
Records: UC Davis 18-7 (11-3), UC San Diego 17-7 (12-2)
OPENING TIP
- Tonight's contest was the second overtime contest for UC Davis this season, previously beating Sacramento State in overtime back on Nov. 24.
- It's also the first time a UC Davis contest has gone to at least two overtimes since 2019, when the Aggies played the Hornets at home.
- The game was back and forth all night long, featuring 15 ties and 15 lead changes.
- It's also the third time the Aggies have comeback from a double-digit deficit this season, being down by as much as 13 in the third quarter.
- With her fourth rebound of the night, Norris hit 302 on the season, passing Lisa Jo Kellogg for the most in a season in program history.
- In addition to 29 rebounds being the most in a single game in Aggie history, it's also the most in a single game in Big West Conference history.
- Tonight's win propelled UC Davis to clinch a spot in the 2026 Big West Championships. In 19 seasons as a member of the Big West, the Aggies have officially appeared in the postseason every single year.
- 13 points from Norris secures her a double-double for the 16th time this season.
- Nya Epps led the scoring effort with 23 points, also tying a career-high eight rebounds for the fifth time this season.
- Avery Sussex also went for 20+ with 21 points, hitting the mark on five made three pointers.
- Victoria Baker came off the bench for a career-high 19 points while also swiping three steals.
- Ryann Bennett rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 on the night, also securing a team-high six assists.
- Four of the five starters in tonight's game played 50+ minutes, with Sussex leading the way with 55 minutes.
WHAT HEAD COACH JENNIFER GROSS HAD TO SAY
"Something that this team has been focusing on is cherishing every opportunity that we have. I thought we started the game a little tight, but once we loosened up, we started playing so much better. UC San Diego is a great team, but we kept responding, which was really unbelievable. We could've gone down so many times and lost belief, but we never did, which is a sign of a great team."
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Three triples led the way for Davis in the first period, with Baker getting the first field goal of the game from beyond the arc.
- Sussex and Bennett would add triples of their own to help lead their team to a 14-13 lead after one.
- The treys continued to fall into the second, with Epps getting on the board on back-to-back three pointers before Norris added onto the tally.
- However, the Tritons would cap off the quarter with 12 of the last 14 points, entering halftime up 31-25.
- UCSD would continue adding onto their lead to start the second half, going up by as much as 13 halfway through the third.
- The Aggies responded from beyond the arc once again, with a pair of threes from Sussex cutting the deficit to as close as eight.
- Epps would beat the third quarter buzzer to sink another three as her team got within five, 45-50, with one period left in regulation.
- A layup from Baker and three from Sussex opened the fourth quarter to tie things up at 50 apiece.
- From there, both teams began to battle back and forth all the way to 57 each, where the fourth quarter buzzer sounded to indicate the start of overtime.
- A 6-0 Triton run to start the first overtime was met with an 8-0 response by the Aggies, with Epps scoring six on her own to give them a 65-63 lead.
- With just one second remaining, UC San Diego found the bottom of the net to tie the game at 65 and send things into another overtime.
- The second overtime period was encapsulated by a pair of threes from Norris to put her over double-digits.
- Despite a three point lead in the final minute, the Tritons found a response to knot things up at 75 and force the first triple overtime game in program history.
- Opening overtime number three, Baker went on a personal 5-0 run to help her team to an 80-78 advantage.
- UCSD tied the contest at 80, but the Aggie offense, led by Sussex's fifth three, shut the door in the final minute with an 8-0 run.
- Opportunities from the Tritons were shut down by the Aggie defense, leading the home team to a hard fought 88-80 victory.
UP NEXT: The Aggies will have a quick turnaround as they take a one game road stint in Long Beach against the Beach on Saturday, Feb. 14. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. PT and will be streamed live on ESPN+ and KDVS 90.3.
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 No. 1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as No. 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/.
