HENDERSON, Nev. (Interstat) — UC San Diego outlasted UC Davis 84-79 in a women’s basketball game Friday at Dollar Loan Center. The Tritons built a 42-35 halftime lead and held off a late Aggies rally. UC Davis closed the gap in the fourth quarter, outscoring UC San Diego 26-25, but could not complete the comeback. The game was part of the Big West tournament. UC San Diego improved to 23-8. UC Davis fell to 23-10. Attendance was 1,502.

HENDERSON, Nev. (Interstat) — In a taut, back-and-forth Big West Conference tournament semifinal that echoed their triple-overtime classic from a month prior, UC San Diego edged UC Davis 84-79 on Friday night at the Dollar Loan Center, propelled by a balanced offensive attack and clutch late free throws. The Tritons, the home team by designation at the neutral site, advanced to the conference championship game and improved their season record to 23-8. The Aggies, who got a game-high 27 points from guard Avery Sussex, saw their season end at 23-10. The game was a contest of surges and responses. UC San Diego built an early 22-17 lead after one quarter, fueled by Lev Feiman’s eight points off the bench. The Tritons extended their advantage to 12 points in the second quarter, taking a 42-30 lead on a Dymonique Maxie three-pointer with just over three minutes left in the half. UC Davis closed the half on a 5-0 run to trim the deficit to 42-35 at the break. The Aggies chipped away throughout the third quarter, largely behind the scoring of Sussex and Nya Epps, who finished with 20 points. UC Davis outscored UC San Diego 18-17 in the period but still trailed 59-53 heading into the final frame. The fourth quarter saw the game’s decisive sequence. With UC San Diego leading 77-72, UC Davis mounted a final push. A driving layup by Sussex and a three-pointer from Epps, assisted by Tegan Young, tied the game at 77 with 1:12 remaining. On the ensuing possession, UC San Diego’s Sabrina Ma was fouled on a jump shot and calmly sank both free throws to put the Tritons back ahead 79-77 with 52 seconds left. After an Aggies turnover, Makayla Rose was fouled and made one of two free throws for an 80-77 lead with 41 seconds on the clock. UC Davis answered when Megan Norris, who had 13 points, hit a deep three-pointer off an assist from Sussex to knot the score at 80 with 27 seconds remaining. The Tritons immediately inbounded to Dymonique Maxie, but her pass was stolen by UC Davis’ Tegan Young, giving the Aggies a chance to take the lead with 23 seconds left. Out of a timeout, Sussex’s potential go-ahead three-point attempt from the wing was off the mark. Epps secured the offensive rebound and put up a layup that tied the game at 82 with 11 seconds to go. UC San Diego did not call a timeout and advanced the ball quickly. Feiman, who scored 16 points, was fouled on a drive to the basket with 5 seconds remaining. She made both free throws to give the Tritons an 84-82 lead. UC Davis’ last-gasp three-point attempt by Ryann Bennett was off target, sealing the victory for UC San Diego. Beyond Sussex and Epps for UC Davis, Ryann Bennett added 8 points and 4 assists. For UC San Diego, the scoring was distributed widely. Sabrina Ma led the way with 21 points, while Makayla Rose added 19 points and 4 assists. Dymonique Maxie contributed 14 points and 4 assists, and Erin Condron facilitated the offense with 8 points and a game-high 6 assists. The Tritons overcame a significant disadvantage in points in the paint, where UC Davis dominated 40-26, by capitalizing on turnovers (15 points off Aggies miscues to 11) and hitting timely shots from the perimeter. The game was a fittingly tense chapter in the recent rivalry; the teams’ previous meeting on Feb. 12 required three overtimes before UC Davis prevailed 88-80. UC San Diego moves on to face Hawaii in the Big West tournament final on Saturday. UC Davis’ season, which included a 3OT win over these same Tritons just a month ago, concludes one step short of the championship game.

HENDERSON, Nev. (Interstat) — A high-stakes women’s NCAA Division I basketball matchup between two of the Big West’s top teams will unfold on a neutral court Friday when the UC Davis Aggies face the UC San Diego Tritons at the Dollar Loan Center. The contest, set for March 13, 2026, features teams with nearly identical stellar records. UC Davis (23-9) enters having won four of its last five, including a 70-59 victory over UC Riverside on Thursday. The Tritons (22-8) carry a five-game winning streak into the showdown, last defeating UC Santa Barbara 72-65 on March 7. The season series is tied at one game apiece, with both contests decided by single digits. UC Davis won 66-62 at UC San Diego on Jan. 22, and then survived an 88-80 triple-overtime thriller at home on Feb. 12. The history suggests another tightly contested battle. A key matchup will be at guard, featuring each team’s standout scorer. UC Davis is led by Avery Sussex, who is coming off a 23-point performance in 35 minutes against UC Riverside. She has scored 20 or more points in three of her last seven games. For UC San Diego, Makayla Rose has been on a tear, averaging over 20 points per game during the Tritons’ five-game win streak. She logged 40 minutes and scored 25 points in the win over UCSB. Beyond the stars, each team boasts depth. UC Davis received strong contributions from Ryann Bennett (15 points, 6 assists) and Megan Norris (12 points) in its latest win. UC San Diego’s Lev Feiman (16 points) and Erin Condron (12 points, 4 assists) provided crucial support for Rose against the Gauchos. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, UC San Diego holds a slight projected advantage with a 52.30 percent probability to win. However, the neutral site in Henderson adds a layer of unpredictability to this pivotal conference clash. The outcome will likely hinge on which team can control the tempo and get critical stops against two potent offenses.