SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Just nine seconds after UC Davis' Cortney French drilled a three-pointer to take a one-point lead, Sacramento State's Alle Moreno split the defense down the lane and rolled in a runner with one second remaining and the Hornets prevailed with a wild, 66-65, Causeway Cup victory on Sunday afternoon at The Nest.
The Hornets (6-5, 1-1 Big Sky) closed out their non-conference season with a bang by defeating the Aggies. UC Davis (5-6) could have clinched the Causeway Cup with a win but the Hornets are now still alive in the two schools' all-sports trophy.
Moreno was just 2-of-17 from the floor before taking a pass at the top of the key with only a few seconds left in overtime, but the junior was hardly hesitant. She drove left into the middle of the lane and, before a pair of post defenders were able to crash inside, she snuck a runner through the traffic. The ball barely rose over the front of the rim before it fell through the net.
Senior forward Kylie Kuhns, who was honored before the game for becoming just the fifth player in Big Sky Conference history to reach 1,000 career rebounds, had one of the biggest boards of her career as time ticked away in regulation.
Down three points with under a minute to play in the second half, Kuhns corraled a rebound off a missed three-point try and muscled up a put-back layup. Despite being fouled, Kuhns was able to get the ball up and into the net. The Salem, Ore., native hit the ensuing game-tying free throw attempt to make the score 57-57. Both teams missed potential game-winning shots in regulation and the contest headed into overtime at the same score.
Moreno finished the game with eight points, six rebounds and three assists while Kuhns tallied her sixth double-double of the season and 42nd of her career with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Senior forward Megan Kritscher, the NCAA's leader in blocked shots, finished with six rejections against the Aggies, including three on one possession. Kritscher also had eight points and six rebounds.
UC Davis was led by Sydnee Fipps' 19 points and 12 rebounds while French and Heidi Johnson added 12 points each.
Sacramento State shot 36.4 percent overall on 28-of-77 shooting, including 2-of-20 from three-point range. The Hornets snagged 52 rebounds, committed 18 turnovers and tallied 18 assists. They went 8-of-17 at the free throw line.
UC Davis shot 38.2 percent from the field on 26-of-73 shooting, with 5-of-21 coming from beyond the arc. The Aggies grabbed 50 rebounds and were pressured into 24 turnovers with 14 assists. They went 8-of-11 at the free throw line.
Sacramento State will jump back into Big Sky Conference play next weekend when the Hornets travel to league newcomer Southern Utah on Jan. 5.