DAVIS, Calif. (Interstat) — The UC Davis women’s basketball team used a strong second half to defeat UC Riverside 65-56 in a Big West Conference game Saturday at The Pavilion. The Aggies, who improved to 21-7, led 25-23 at halftime before outscoring the Highlanders 40-33 after the break. Hannah Wickstrom led all scorers with 31 points for UC Riverside, which fell to 9-18. UC Davis was paced by Avery Sussex with 20 points and Ryann Bennett with 19. An announced crowd of 678 watched the contest.

DAVIS, Calif. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a singular, spectacular offensive performance, the UC Davis women’s basketball team methodically subdued a relentless effort from UC Riverside’s Hannah Wickstrom to secure a 65-56 victory in a Big West Conference matchup Saturday at The Pavilion at ARC. The Aggies, improving to 21-7 overall and solidifying their position atop the conference standings, used a balanced attack and superior execution down the stretch to counter Wickstrom’s game-high 31 points. The Highlanders’ standout guard from Melbourne, Australia, was virtually unstoppable for long stretches, but UC Davis’s defensive pressure on her teammates and clutch scoring from its own backcourt proved the difference. The most pivotal phase of the contest arrived late in the third quarter and bled into the fourth, as UC Davis transformed a narrow advantage into a commanding lead. Leading just 39-37 with under two minutes remaining in the third, the Aggies engineered a critical 8-0 run that spanned the quarter break. Ryann Bennett, who finished with 19 points, ignited the surge with a driving layup and a subsequent free throw. After a Wickstrom jumper briefly halted the momentum, UC Davis opened the fourth quarter with five quick points. Bennett found Avery Sussex for a layup, and after a defensive stop, Bennett calmly sank two free throws to push the lead to 47-39 with 8:35 to play. This stretch was decisive because it finally created the separation UC Davis had been seeking all afternoon. Until that point, Wickstrom had repeatedly answered every Aggie push, keeping the Highlanders within one or two possessions. The 8-0 run, however, built a cushion that forced UC Riverside into a more hurried offensive approach, exacerbating their existing struggles with ball movement and shot creation outside of their star guard. UC Riverside, which fell to 9-18, fought valiantly behind Wickstrom. She scored 20 of her points in the second half, including a personal 7-0 run in the fourth quarter that cut a 13-point deficit down to six at 59-53 with 1:56 left. But each time the Highlanders threatened, UC Davis had an answer, usually from Sussex or Bennett. Sussex, a guard from Coquitlam, Canada, led all scorers with 20 points, including a crucial three-pointer with 4:52 remaining that extended the lead back to 55-47 just after Wickstrom’s flurry. The statistical sheet underscored the Aggies’ winning formula. While both teams shot an identical 21-for-60 from the field, UC Davis leveraged a significant advantage from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line. The Aggies connected on 9 of 28 three-point attempts compared to Riverside’s 5-of-25 shooting from deep. More critically, UC Davis attempted 20 free throws, making 14, while the Highlanders visited the line only seven times, converting five. UC Davis also dominated the glass, particularly on the offensive end, where they secured 13 rebounds leading to numerous second-chance opportunities. The Aggies’ defense, while yielding a high point total to Wickstrom, was otherwise stifling, holding the rest of the Highlanders to 25 points on combined 9-of-38 shooting. UC Riverside managed only three assists as a team against eight turnovers, highlighting the one-dimensional nature of their offense. For the Aggies, the victory avenged no past defeat but instead extended their winning streak in the series, having also defeated the Highlanders 81-68 last month. The game was played before a crowd of 678. UC Riverside’s Bria Shine, a forward from Sacramento, provided secondary support with eight points, two assists and a block. For UC Davis, forward Tegan Young added nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds, helping her team control the interior. The Aggies will look to continue their conference success when they travel to face Hawaii on Thursday. UC Riverside returns home to host UC Santa Barbara, also on Thursday, seeking to build on the positives of Wickstrom’s exceptional individual effort while searching for more consistent supplementary scoring.

DAVIS, Calif. (Interstat) — The UC Davis women’s basketball team, riding high in the Big West Conference standings, will host struggling UC Riverside on Saturday at The Pavilion at ARC. The Aggies (19-7 overall) have won five of their last six games and are coming off a 77-66 road victory at Long Beach State on Feb. 14. They previously defeated the Highlanders 81-68 in Riverside on Jan. 24. UC Davis is led by forward Megan Norris, who is averaging a double-double in recent play. She posted 16 points and 14 rebounds in the win over Long Beach State and scored 21 points in the January win over Riverside. The Highlanders (8-17) have lost three of their last four, including a 79-68 home loss to UC San Diego on Feb. 14. Their offense runs through guard Hannah Wickstrom, who has been on a scoring tear. Wickstrom is averaging 25.9 points per game over her last seven contests, including a 35-point outing in an overtime loss to Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 5. She scored 26 points in the first meeting against UC Davis this season. UC Davis will look to control the interior with Norris and capitalize on its strong conference record. UC Riverside will rely on Wickstrom’s high-volume scoring to keep pace. The Aggies’ defense, which held Riverside to 68 points in the prior matchup, will be tested by Wickstrom’s hot hand. Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. The game is part of Big West Conference play.