Teams: UC Davis vs. UC Riverside; vs. UC Irvine
Records: Aggies, 13-14 (8-6); Highlanders, 6-21 (2-12); Anteaters, 14-14 (7-7)
Where: The ARC Pavilion — Davis, Calif.
When: Thursday, March 6 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 8 at 2 p.m.
Who to watch:
Sophomore guard Molly Greubel had a huge game against UC Santa Barbara on March 1. She scored 14 points, shooting a perfect 4-4 from the field and 5-5 from the free-throw line. Expect her to continue her excellent shooting.
Preview:
UC Davis has been playing their best basketball all season. They are currently on a three-win streak after beating Big West No. 1 Cal Poly last week, and UC Santa Barbara in a dominating fashion. The Aggies look to finish the regular season on a high note as they face UC Irvine and UC Riverside at home.
UC Riverside fell to last place after losing to CSU Northridge this week. However, UC Riverside is one of the best shooting teams in the Big West, shooting 40.7 percent from the field. The Aggies stack up just as well, with UC Davis currently shooting 42.2 percent, the best in the conference.
The key to victory for the Aggies is containing UC Riverside’s Brittany Crain, who owns the highest scoring average in the Big West, with 18.9 points per game. But with the recent outstanding performances by sophomore forward Alyson Doherty and junior forward Sydnee Fipps, UC Davis should have no problems competing against the Highlanders.
The Aggies look to sweep the season series against the Highlanders after defeating them in their first matchup on Jan. 16, 77-67.
UC Davis will be hosting UC Irvine for the season finale and senior night. The Aggies will need to rebound the ball as they face one of the best rebounding teams in the Big West. The Anteaters are currently averaging 41.6 rebounds per game, while UC Davis is averaging 35.7. UC Irvine’s Camille Buckley is a double-double machine, averaging 18 points per game and 11.2 rebounds per game.
Doherty and Fipps have been surging as of late. Fipps has averaged 20 points in the last four games and Doherty has been a dominant force in the paint. The Aggies will need their energy as they close out this season.
This will be a test of endurance for the Aggies as they face two tough-minded teams before the Big West tournament on March 11.
— Oscar Duenas
