Teams: UC Davis vs. Stanford
Records: Aggies 0-2 (0-0); Cardinals 1-1 (0-0)
Where: Maples Pavilion — Stanford, Calif.
When: Sunday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.
Who to Watch:
In a tough loss against former conference rivals Pacific, the Aggies found quite a few bright spots. One of which was the outstanding offensive performance of junior forward Brianna Salvatore. Salvatore, who played 30 minutes against the Tigers, had an efficient offensive night.
She went six for seven from the field, including three of four from beyond the arc. Salvatore was also flawless from the free-throw line and finished the night with a career-high 18 points. She also contributed four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
The Aggies need offensive options other than junior forward Sydnee Fipps. Fipps, who has struggled from the field this season, is the offensive catalyst for the Aggies. However, players like Salvatore need to step up and shoulder some of the offensive burden.
As the schedule gets tougher, the Aggies will need continued production from all their players in order to take some of the pressure off of the preseason All-Big West nominee Sydnee Fipps. If Salvatore can continue playing at a high level, it will definitely open up opportunities for other players to score and hopefully help jump-start the Aggies’ season.
Did you know?
UC Davis has scheduled games against two of the top teams in the nation this season. The Aggies will face off against both the third-ranked Stanford Cardinals and the first-ranked Connecticut Huskies.
The Stanford game will be on Nov. 12 at the Maples Pavilion and the Connecticut game will be on Dec. 5 at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. Both of these games will be good tests for the Aggies. A win against either of these teams would be a huge momentum boost for UC Davis’ season.
Preview:
The Aggies head into one of the biggest games of the season licking their wounds. After having a less than lackluster start to the season, UC Davis attempts to redeem itself against the perennial Pac-12 champions, Stanford Cardinals.
After two defeats at the hands of USC and Pacific respectively, UC Davis comes into the matchup with Stanford looking for its first win of the season. Part of the struggle the Aggies have had this season is due to the inefficiency of junior forward Sydnee Fipps. Fipps is shooting 28 percent from the field and has yet to make a three-pointer this season.
However, Fipps has shown signs of heating up as she managed to score an impressive 25 points in the loss to Pacific. This offensive outburst was due in large part to her efficiency from the free-throw line, where she hit 17 out of 20 attempts. She will need to continue her aggressive play against a tough Cardinals team.
The Cardinals are led by forward Chiney Ogwumike and guard Amber Orrange, who average 23.0 and 20.5 points per game respectively. Ogwumike is a double-double machine who also averages 13.5 rebounds per game. She will definitely be a handful for the Aggie defenders. Orrange is not just a scorer either, she averages 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. Orrange is a complete player who can hurt UC Davis in multiple ways if it is not careful.
Stanford will be a test of the Aggies’ endurance and unity. Regardless of the outcome, this game could serve as the motivational catalyst that UC Davis has been looking for.
— Kenneth Ling
