18-12
UC Davis
24-8
Mustangs Fall in Big West Tournament Final, 66-49
3/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ANAHEIM, Calif. – UC Davis scored early and often in defeating the Cal Poly women's basketball team in the ampm Big West Women's Basketball Tournament Championship, 66-49, in Anaheim on Saturday. With the loss the team will advance to the WNIT, making the programs first-ever postseason tournament (beyond conference tournaments).
The WNIT field will be announced Monday night following the announcement of the NCAA women's tournament field.
In winning the championship UC Davis improved to 24-8 and will represent the Big West Conference in the NCAA women's basketball tournament while the Mustangs fall to 18-12.
UCD jumped to a 12 point lead (21-9) midway through the first half when tournament MVP, Paige Mintun, hit a jumper from the right side.
Caroline Reeves cut the lead to seven (21-14) at 9:02 when she converted a layup, but UCD went on a 9-0 run over the next five minutes to hold a 30-14 lead.
Desiray Johnston connected on a late three for the Mustangs, cutting the lead to 13 and a 35-22 lead for Davis at the break.
Cal Poly opened the second half determined to get back into the game. Five minutes into the second period, Rachel Clancy and the Mustangs had forced three turnovers and cut the lead to five (38-33) when she hit her second three pointer of the half.
UCD responded with a 6-0 run to build its lead to 10 at the midway point of the final period. After a jumper by Tamara Wells and one by Clancy, UCD scored 12 straight over a five minute span to open a 19 point lead (56-37).
The Mustangs made one more run when they cut the lead to 11 (56-45) with 3:19 left when Jonae Ervin made a steal and a layup. But the Mustangs would get no closer the rest of the game.
This was the second time in three years that the Mustangs have reached the championship game.
Clancy led the Mustangs with 20 points when she hit eight of 18 shots from the floor and four of eight from long range. Johnston added nine points on three long range shots while Kayla Griffin and Ervin each added six points.
Abby Bloetscher led the Mustangs with seven rebounds as the team outrebounded the Aggies 32-29.
Mintun led UCD with 20 points while Heidi Heintz scored 11. Vicky Deely came off the bench to contribute 12 points.
Cal Poly shot 32 percent from the floor and made 37 percent long range while UCD shot 45 percent from the floor and made 39 percent from beyond the arc.
Cal Poly committed 23 turnovers in the game with UC Davis making 19.
Clancy and Bloetscher joined Mintun on the all-tournament team.
