Teams: UC Davis vs. Cal State Fullerton
Records: Aggies 10-12 (5-4); Titans 8-13 (4-4)
Where: The Pavilion — Davis, Calif.
When: Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
Who to watch:
Sophomore guard Molly Greubel had a school-record 14 assists on Feb. 8, in a tough 79-73 overtime loss to UC Irvine. She also added four points and four rebounds in the valiant effort.
The continual progression of Greubel’s play has been evident. Last year as a freshman, Greubel played a considerable role off the bench, as she contributed 6.3 points per game, 2.1 assists per game and 1.6 assists per game.
This year, she has been a key fixture in the Aggies’ starting lineup, starting 18 of the 22 games. While Greubel’s point production still remains similar to last year’s, at six points per game, her playmaking abilities have been on showcase. As the assist leader of the Aggies, with three assists per game, the team has looked for her to create open looks.
The Aggies have really been playing effective offensive basketball, led by junior Sydnee Fipps. In the Feb. 6 win over Cal State Northridge, Fipps once again broke the 20-point mark with a game-high 21 points. The scoring clinic put on by Fipps in combination with the four UC Davis players who scored in double digits — sophomore forward Alyson Doherty, sophomore forward Celia Marfone, sophomore forward Heidi Johnson and junior guard Kelsey Harris — spurred the Aggies on to victory.
“When you look down the line, we’ve got five players in double figures and we’re getting contributions from our up and down roster,” said head coach Jennifer Gross. “That’s what makes me the most pleased about this win. I can rely on so many different people.”
Preview:
The Aggies have had inconsistent results in Big West play, which has resulted in the plummet from first in the conference to their current fifth-place standing. Despite the lack of consistency in results, UC Davis has found a groove on offense this season.
In the loss to UC Irvine on Feb. 8, UC Davis shot 45.2 percent from the field and had three players in double digits and six players with seven or more points.
UC Davis currently holds a 41.9 field goal percentage and a 32.3 three-point percentage this season, both of which are the second-highest percentages in the Big West. This is in large part a team effort, with six players shooting better than 40 percent from the field.
Though Sydnee Fipps has gotten much of the praise for the Aggies’ success and scoring efficiency, Alyson Doherty has really stepped up this season in her starter role. Last year, as a freshman, Doherty averaged a respectable 5.3 points, on 35.6 percent shooting, and 4.9 rebounds per game playing 20.8 minutes per game.
This year, she has blossomed into a real threat on both ends of the court, averaging 12.2 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game and 1.2 blocks per game. Doherty is second on the team in points per game and is first in both rebounds and blocks per game.
Doherty will definitely need to play well in order to help Fipps lead the Aggies to victories in the rest of the regular season and beyond.
— Kenneth Ling
