The University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) women’s basketball team hosted UC Davis (UCD) on Saturday Jan. 24. The Highlanders entered the game sixth place in the Big West with a 4-4 conference record. The Aggies were ranked third with a 6-2 record. Davis carried momentum from a win over defending Big West champions UC San Diego, while Riverside looked to snap a two-game losing streak.
The Aggies got out of the gates quickly. They started the game with a three-pointer from Avery Sussex. Then, Davis went on to score seven more unanswered points until Bria Shine made a layup for the Highlanders. However, UCD were able to capitalize on early turnovers from the Highlanders. The Aggies also found success from beyond the arc, while the Highlanders, who typically score in the paint, struggled to break through Davis’ defense. A rough first quarter ended with UCR down by 16.
Megan Norris opened the second quarter with a layup for UC Davis and continued to control the paint. Norris grabbed 12 rebounds and scored 10 of her 21 points inside. UCR found brief offensive sparks from Hannah Wickstrom and Taylor Swanson, but struggled to sustain momentum as Davis’ balanced scoring extended the lead. UCR had difficulty generating stops defensively as Davis took a 24-point advantage into halftime.
Wickstrom opened the second half by securing a defensive rebound and knocking down a pull-up jumper. Wickstrom finished with 26 points, six rebounds and five assists in Saturday’s game. She has been a force for UCR this season, averaging 22.3 points per game, leading the Big West in scoring and ranking in the top ten nationally in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.
The Melbourne native jumpstarted the Highlanders in the third quarter, scoring and helping run the offense. The Highlanders were able to force turnovers, but they weren’t always able to turn them into points. Riverside found some success on the boards, grabbing rebounds and making the most of second-chance opportunities. Even as UCR started to find a little momentum, the Aggies didn’t slow down at all. They kept scoring and stayed in control, sending the teams into the fourth quarter with the score 71-42.
The Highlanders continued their momentum into the fourth quarter with Wickstrom leading the way. Seneca Hackley and Maya Chocano also made an impact for Riverside. Chocano collected rebounds and created second-chance opportunities, while Hackley added ten points and generated key steals as the Highlanders outscored the Aggies by 16 in the fourth quarter. Despite Riverside’s efforts to cut into the deficit, the Aggies comfortably held on to win 81-68.
The Highlanders travel to California State University, Long Beach on Thursday for their second matchup of the season. The Highlanders won their first meeting at home, defeating Long Beach 77–59.
