DAVIS, Calif.—UC San Diego women's basketball dropped a 64-56 decision to UC Davis on Thursday evening in University Credit Union Center. After trailing by as many as 18, the Tritons (12-18, 8-11 Big West) closed to within four points in the final minutes but could not complete the comeback against the Aggies (16-13, 12-7 Big West).
 
Sumayah Sugapong finished two points shy of her career high with 23 points to lead the Tritons. Damilola Sule recorded her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds and Denali Pinto finished one board shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Sugapong also led the team with four steals.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams got off to a slow start, combining to shoot 2-for-15 from the field and battling to a 2-2 tie through the first five minutes of the opening quarter. The teams traded a one-score lead for the remainder of the period before the Aggies closed out the quarter with a 5-0 run to lead 16-11 at the break.
 
UC Davis knocked down back-to-back threes to open the second quarter and quickly extended its lead to double digits, 24-11. The Tritons responded by scoring 11 unanswered—including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line—to make it a one-score game once again, 24-22. The Aggies answered with a run of their own, outscoring UC San Diego 11-4 down the stretch and taking a 35-26 lead into halftime.
 
The Tritons worked to cut the deficit back to single digits in the opening minutes of the second half. Sugapong hit a timely three and Pinto completed a four-point play to pull UC San Diego within six, 39-33, with 6:33 on the clock. UC Davis then outscored the Tritons, 11-1 down the stretch to lead, 50-34, at the final quarter break.
 
UC Davis built its lead to 18 in the opening minutes of the final quarter, 54-36, for the largest advantage of the game. Sule then scored eight unanswered to give the Tritons some life, 54-44. With 2:40 remaining, UC San Diego put together another eight-point scoring run led by four from Pinto and four from Sugapong to pull the Tritons within four points, 59-55. UC San Diego remained within four points with 36 seconds to play, but the Tritons were unable pull any closer, eventually falling 64-56.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Sumayah Sugapong scored in double figures for the 23rd time this season and her sixth 20-point game.
• Denali Pinto scored in double figures for the 18th time this season.
• Damilola recorded her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
• The Tritons moved to 5-18 in the all-time series (2-6 in D-I) with UC Davis.
• UC San Diego starters were Gracie Gallegos, Parker Montgomery, Denali Pinto, Katie Springs and Sumayah Sugapong.

 UP NEXT
The Tritons will wrap up their 2023-24 season on Saturday at Cal Poly. Tipoff with the Mustangs is scheduled for 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.