Feb. 12, 2011

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - Pacific rallied for a 70-66 victory over UC Davis on Saturday, Feb. 12. The Tigers are now 14-10 on the season, 6-5 in the Big West Conference, while the Aggies drop to 8-16, 3-9 in league play.

Senior Sam Willard (Pierre, S.D.) opened the scoring with three straight points to give the Tigers an early lead. The Aggies responded with two consecutive baskets, sparking a series of lead changes between the two teams. Over the next six minutes, the lead changed five times, highlighted by a three from Willard that tied the game at 13-13, and a trey from junior Jose Rivera (Brentwood, Calif.), which gave Pacific a 16-15 lead with 10:48 remaining. The Aggies hit their next three three-pointers, fueling a 9-2 run that gave UC Davis a 24-18 lead. A dunk by senior Nyika Williams (Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) ignited a 10-5 run that brought the Tigers to within one (29-28) with 1:32 to play in the half. Another Aggie three-pointer gave UC Davis a four-point advantage, but a jumper by Williams cut the lead to 32-30 at the break. The Tigers outrebounded the Aggies 22-10 in the first half, grabbing 14 defensive and 8 offensive rebounds.

Pacific and UC Davis traded 5-0 runs to open the second half, keeping the Aggie lead at two points (37-35) after the first three minutes. After a UC Davis basket by Josh Ritchart put the Aggies up 45-39, the Tigers went on an 8-0 run with a three-pointer from Willard and a three-point play from senior Terrell Smith (Federal Way, Wash.) to take their first lead since the first half (47-45). In the following nine minutes, the lead changed nine times, as each team responded when the other scored. A pair of jumpers from senior Smith and a layup from sophomore Allen Huddleston (Merced, Calif.) gave the Tigers a 62-57 lead (their largest lead of the game), with 2:30 to play in the game. The Aggies' Eddie Miller then hit a three-pointer and scored on a dunk to knot the game at 62-62 with 1:21 remaining. Williams then hit a pair of free throws to take the Tiger lead to 64-62 with :58 left in the game. Miller missed a potential game-tying jumper with :26 remaining and senior Demetrece Young (Oklahoma City, Okla.) gave the Tigers a four point advantage (66-62) with a pair of free throws. The Aggies scored on a pair of layups in the final seconds, but they were each matched by a pair of free throws each from junior Jose Rivera (Brentwood, Calif.) and Willard. The Tigers hit all eight of their free throws in the final minute and 16 of 20 in the game, to hold on for the 70-66 win.

Willard led the Tigers with his 15th double-double of the season, scoring 23 points and collecting 11 rebounds. Williams was one board short of a double-double, finishing the game with 11 points and 9 rebounds and Huddleston added 13 points. Joe Harden and Josh Ritchart each had 17 points to lead UC Davis.

Pacific shot 50.0 percent from the field, but the Aggies hit 51.0 percent overall and were 10-for-15 from three-point range (66.7 percent). The Tigers ended up with 18 assists on 25 field goals and had assists on all 12 baskets in the first half.

Pacific is next in action with a game against UC Irvine on Wednesday, February 16. The game is slated for a 7:00 pm tipoff at the Alex G. Spanos Center.