FULLERTON, Calif. --- UC Davis' Morgan Bertsch scored a game-high 16 points as Cal State Fullerton could not stop the torrid shooting of the Aggies in a 70-51 loss at Titan Gym on Thursday night.
With the win, UC Davis improved to 13-5 overall and 4-1 in the Big West Conference, while the Titans dropped to 4-14 overall and 1-4 in league play.
Bertsch, the second-leading scorer in the Big West, shot 8-of-11 from the floor, while Nina Bessolo added 12 points off the bench and Kourtney Eaton knocked down three 3-pointers en route to an 11-point effort.
As a team, UC Davis shot 46.8 percent (29-of-62) from the floor and drained 11 three-pointers while totaling 24 assists and 11 steals.
Jade Vega led Cal State Fullerton with 11 points, three 3-pointers and three steals, while sophomore Daeja Smith recorded her fifth double-double of the year with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Iman Lathan scored 11 points of the bench.
Fullerton opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run as Vega nailed a baseline three-pointer, the Titans forced an Aggie turnover which led to Jordan Jackson taking it to the hoop and completing the three-point play after being fouled, and Vega driving the lane for a basket to close 30-29.
But that was the closest Fullerton would come as UC Davis countered with a pair of three-pointers which led to a 14-2 Aggie run and ended with a 54-35 UCD lead at the end of the third.
"Those two threes back-to-back and not having quality possessions on the other end hurt us," head coach Daron Park said. "We have to answer shots with shots. If we are going to get into a shooting contest then we have to match them shot for shot. If we can't do that, then we have to defend. The only other chance we get is to draw a line in the sand."
Fullerton shot just 33.3 percent (19-of-57) from the floor and totaled nine assists to 17 turnovers.
The Titans were outscored in the paint 34-22 and Davis' bench outscored Fullerton 24-13.
CSF trailed 10-8 with 3:07 left in the first quarter when Smith picked up her second foul, taking out of her game until the 5:15 mark of the second quarter, and allowing UC Davis to build a 25-17 lead over that period.
Despite playing just 11 minutes in the first half, Smith led Fullerton with eight points and five rebounds at the break as the Titans trailed 30-21.
The Aggies nailed six three-pointers in the first 20 minutes and were led by Bertsch's 10 first-half points.
The Titans return to action at SRC Arena on Saturday with a 7 p.m. tip-off against UC Riverside. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.
Notes: UC Davis leads the all-time series 15-10…with 11 points and 10 rebounds, Daeja Smith recorded her fifth double-double of the season.
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