LIVE: Big West semifinal No. 2 UC Davis vs. No. 3 UC Riverside

1:30 p.m. ANAHEIM -- So this is the Big West Tournament, huh?

Not bad. The set-up is a little strange because the Arena is oblong. I think it’s probably a strange place to shoot. But we’ll see how the Aggies react to this in their first-ever Big West Tournament game. Also, we’ll see if anyone other than UC Santa Barbara fans bother to show up today.

Preamble: UCD guard Haylee Donaghe probably put it best this week when she said that every game the team played for the rest of the year would be “the most important in the history of school in women’s basketball.” That’s certainly the case for the Division I era. This tournament is the conference’s showpiece event, and for the Aggies to do what they’ve done on the first try is really impressive. UCD clinched its bye into the semifinals eight days ago with a 62-41 win over UC Riverside at The Pavilion. The Aggies outscored the Highlanders 40-15 in the second half of that game. You read that right. Riverside’s top scorer Seyram Gbewonyo missed that game through suspension. She’s here this afternoon for the rematch.

Riverside head coach John Margaritis said on the pretournament conference call that he was concerned coming into the tournament because his team simply wasn’t playing well. It couldn’t score, he said, which was casting a negative tinge over all the things it could do. The Highlanders, who have won this tournament twice in a row, scored 59 points in their quarterfinal win over Cal State Fullerton. And while that’s a considerable improvement over 41, it’s impossible to know just how much significance to attach to it. So I won’t bother to try.

The winner gets UC Santa Barbara, which is currently pummeling Cal Poly by 22 with 7 minutes, 42 seconds to play. The Mustangs’ effort even though they’ve been down big has been pretty impressive.

Dignitaries: How do you know this is a big game? The UCD sports information department has traded its usual uniform of golf shirt and khakis for a jacket and tie, that's how. UCD chancellor Larry Vanderhoef is here. So is vice chancellor for student affairs Fred Wood. Athletic Director Greg Warzecka, not surprisingly, has made the trip as well. Administrator emeritus Pam Gill-Fisher is in The Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center as well. Here in spirit is men’s soccer coach Dwyane Shaffer is here is spirit. The Big West Coach of the Year’s smiling face is peering out from an exhibit just outside the arena of current conference champions.

And it’s over: No. 1 UC Santa Barbara 77, No. 5 Cal Poly 57. The Gauchos advance to their 12th consecutive conference championship game.

UCD-UCR tip-off: Is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

The implications: A win today assures UCD of a postseason future, either in the NCAA Tournament or in the 48-team WNIT. Now that it is owned by the NCAA, the WNIT awards every regular-season conference champion an automatic berth (in the Big West that’s UCSB). If that team goes to the NCAA tournament, the WNIT spot goes to the second-place finisher (the Aggies). That would also be true, by the way, if the Aggies lost and the Gauchos beat the Highlanders tomorrow.

As we reported today in the daily fishwrap, UCD has not made a bid to host games in the WNIT because of scheduling conflicts at The Pavilion. Should the Aggies end up advancing in that tournament, the athletic department may submit a future bid.

Dramatis personae:
UCD: Starters: G-Kirsten Commins; G-Haylee Donaghe; C-Paige Mintun; F-Jessica Campbell; F-Heather Bates. Subs: G-Anna Harp; G-Genevieve Costello; C-Tatiana Armstrong; C-Monica Mertle; C-Ashley Curry.

UCR:Starters: G-Brittany Waddell; G-Seyram Gbewonyo; F-Roney Friend F-Amber Cox; C-Tainoisouti Lott.
Subs G-Shynell Foree; G-Jacqueline Coble; G-Alyssa Morris; G-Courtney Good; C-Katerina Glyniadaki; G/F-Jessie Schmuckal; G-Vanessa Campillo; G-Jaleesa Connor; G-Chanel Foster.

UCD's lone injury doubt was Anna Harp (knee). She's been going through the warm-ups and my information is that she'll be available.

Around the arena: The crowd has thinned some from the opener, although there is a healthy group of UCD supporters seated on my left in one of the corners. There looks to be about a 20-person detachment from the Aggie Pack, a loud Band that has drawn a positive review from one of the ushers, Gunrock and some cheerleaders. UCSB's coaching staff is camped out behind one of the rims scouting.

20:00 1st: UCD 0, UCR 0: As Dr. Naismith intended, the game will being with a jump ball, Mintun vs. Lott. The tap goes to UCR and we’re under way.

18:39 1st: UCD 5, UCR 2: After Cox opened with a jumper, UCD fed Donaghe on back-to-back possessions, beating Waddell and getting to the foul line twice, once to complete a 3-point play.

15:58 1st: UCD 7, UCR 5: UCD’s defensive rebounding leaves a little to be desired in the early going, but the pressure is having the desired effect. Riverside opened 1-for-6 before Cox drained a 3-pointer. Highlanders have seven shot attempts to UCD’s three.

13:54 1st: UCD 9, UCR 5: Aggie pressure is causing problems. Commins’ steal leads to easy basket for Bates on the other end. UCD is generally finding its way to rim on the offensive end.

13:26 1st: UCD 9, UCR 5: Donaghe has been fouled three times, all going to the basket. She’s 3-for-5 from the line.

11:29 1st: UCD 9, UCR 8: Neither team has scored in a while. Deflection-happy UCD is removing all flow from the Riverside halfcourt offense. On the other end, the Highlanders are allowing UCD to the hoop, but the Aggies aren’t finishing. The rebounding has evened out. Cox still has all UCR’s points. That changes as Friend hits two free throws.

11:00 1st: UCD 12, UCR 8: UCD’s drought breaks with its first 3 of the game, by Costello from the elbow

9:32 1st: UCD 12, UCR 12: Lott ties the game with a layup, then picks up her second foul, a block on the other end. Lott appeared to get the worst of the exchange and had to helped off the court.

7:27 1st: UCD 16, UCR 14: UCD continues to open the back door against the Riverside defense, but its finishing is suspect. It is earning foul shots though and Bates hits two from the line. Meanwhile, the Aggies are being outrebounded 14-7, although the second-chance points aren’t really factor yet.

6:43 1st: UCD 16, UCR 14: Commins picks up her second personal, bringing in Anna Harp. Harp immediately forces a turnover along the sideline.

5:50 1st: UCD 18, UCR 14: Harp’s knee appears to give way as she fights for a rebound. She’s getting attention on the bench. Then she heads to the bike behind the Aggie bench. Porshneva hits two free throws.

3:36 1st: UCD 19, UCR 20: Lot of action, but all the scoring has been from the foul line. Riverside is being physical with UCD’s cutters and the officials aren’t being particularly generous with calls way from the ball. On the defensive end, the Aggies are tipping a lot of a passes, but then coming in second in the races to the loose ball. Donaghe has picked up her second personal on a scramble for a loose ball near halfcourt. Foster gives the Highlanders their first lead in a while. Harp has returned.

3:24 1st: UCD 19, UCR 21: Harp picks up two quick fouls and the Highlanders are in the double bonus. UCR has extended its defense, and giving the Aggies plenty of trouble.

1:29 1st: UCD 22, UCR 22: Costello fires the Aggies back into the lead from the corner. On the other end, Bates picks up her second personal. Gbewonyo splits free throws to tie it.

0:04 1st: UCD 24, UCR 22: Campbell hits a jumper to put the Aggies ahead at the intermission.

Halftime: 20 minutes of basketball, 12 total field goals. Honestly, this is a UC Davis sort of game. The Aggies have won four games in which they’ve hit 17 or fewer field goals this year. Riverside is 10-for-48 in its last 40 minutes of basketball against UCD.

The Aggies are struggling against Riverside’s defense. The Highlanders are extending pressure well beyond the NBA 3-point line and forcing UCD to initiate its offense from further away then it would like. That has created some of the trouble. Riverside is also doing a solid job of not submitting to the Aggie pressure. There have been a lot of tips, but UCD isn’t coming up them.

From the stat sheet: Donaghe and Gbewonyo lead their teams with seven points each.

UCD has five players – Harp, Commins, Bates, Donaghe and Porshneva with two fouls. Riverside had three – Friend, Lott and Campillo.

20:00 2nd: UCD 24, UCR 22: Riverside will restart play from halfcourt.

17:07 2nd: UCD 26, UCR 31: Cox hits a 3, Bates answers with a backdoor layup. Then Gbewonyo beats the shot clock with a 3. Wadell adds a 3 as Riverside threatens an honest-to-goodness run. Donaghe, who has been UCD’s most effective player offensively picks up her third foul on a charge call.

15:58 2nd: UCD 28, UCR 31: Riverside’s recent offensive outburst has brought its field-goal percentage to 25 percent (8-for-32). UCD’s two baskets this half have come off Heather Bates’ drives to the rim. UCD has attempted just 19 shots

15:18 2nd: UCD 28, UCR 31: Bates has picked up her third foul, also on a charge.

14:16 2nd: UCD 30, UCR 31: UCD has committed three offensive fouls this half. Porshneva gets her third as she tries to get position in the post.

13:28 2nd: UCD 30, UCR 34: Now Commins has her third personal, a 3-shot foul for hitting Waddell as she airballed a 3-pointer. Commins didn’t agree, but suddenly the Aggies appear to be rocking every so slightly. The fouls are mounting and the preferred rotation only goes eight deep. Waddell hits the first two, waits out a full timeout and then hits the third.

11:47 2nd: UCD 34, UCR 37: Waddell hit another 3 to extend the lead to five. UCD offers a quick answer, with a Donaghe deflection leading to a Costello layup. Simpson appears to be dialing up the defensive pressure, a dangerous game with fouls mounting.

11:02 2nd: UCD 38, UCR 37: Now it’s Riverside’s turn to almost get a key turnover. After multiple deflections Donaghe hits a layup as she’s fouled. Donaghe misses the free throw, but Bates rebounds and that leads to a Porshneva hook shot to put the Aggies back in the lead.

10:00 2nd: UCD 41, UCR 39: Cox hits a jumper, but Campbell answers, converting a 3-point play to put the Aggies back in the lead. Friend misses a jumper on the next trip and Riverside takes a timeout after the rebound squirts out of bounds to UCD. It has two remaining.

7:26 2nd: UCD 46, UCR 45: Just when it feels as though UCD is danger of pulling away, Riverside hits a big shot. Down 43-39, Waddell cans a 3. Harp answers with a triple and then Gbewonyo hits another one from the elbow. UCD has tied the rebounding margin and starting to find room offensively. But Highlanders won’t go away without a fight.

6:33 2nd: UCD 49, UCR 47: Gbewonyo hits a runner to put the Highlanders in front. Then Harp converts a 3-point play. Big play by the sophomore.

6:17 2nd: UCD 50, UCR 47: Donaghe makes a steal and is fouled as she goes in for the lay up. She missed the front end, her fifth straight missed free throw, before converting the second to make a three-point game.

5:29 2nd: UCD 52, UCR 47: Lott missed a bunny on the low block. UCD answers as Donaghe finishes against the shot clock. Now Riverside is wobbling.

3:57 2nd: UCD 52, UCR 47: UCD turns the ball over, survives two open looks from outside before getting the rebound and then turns the ball over again. The Aggies are a couple of plays away, but they still haven’t made them.

2:38 2nd: UCD 55, UCR 47: Bates hits an open 3 to make it an eight-point game. Friend misses a jumper and UCD rebounds. It now has a 28-25 edge. Timeout UCD. This could make things really tricky for Riverside.

2:25 2nd: UCD 56, UCR 47: Donaghe is tripped as she drives to the hoop and is awarded two shots. She misses the first short and hits the second.

1:12 2nd: UCD 56, UCR 49: UCD was close to finishing it off, but a turnover down low led to a quick break and basket by Friend. Campbell misses the jumper, but Riverside can’t convert on the other end. Ball is out of bounds to UCD. The Aggies are within touching distance of what the English would call a famous victory.

54.3 2nd: UCD 56, UCR 49: Aggies run the shot clock down to nine seconds with the possession. Bates gets in trouble and UCD uses a time-out.

44.7 2nd: UCD 58, UCR 49: Harp hits a stunning runner against the shot clock that I can only hope Wayne Tilcock, our photographer, caught.

19.4 2nd: UCD 61, UCR 51: Campbell seals it with two from the line.

Final: UCD 63, UCR 53