DAVIS, Calif. – Contending in California for the first time since 2003, the Boston University women's basketball team battled to the end with 2019 NCAA Tournament participant UC Davis, but came up just short, 75-68, Thursday night at The Pavilion.

Maggie Pina notched another stellar performance, leading the Terriers with 22 points, hitting on 5-of-8 from distance. Katie Nelson also recorded a 20-point effort, matching Pina with an additional 5-for-8 clip from beyond-the-arc. Riley Childs grabbed a team-best eight rebounds, while Sydney Johnson picked up four steals.

BU used a strong start to the second quarter to pull out an eight-point lead four minutes into the frame. The Aggies trimmed the gap to two at the half before staking a 13-point advantage late in the third. The Terriers were able to it up at 59-59 with six minutes to play, but couldn't regain the upper hand.

How It Happened

• Davis used a pair of 3-pointers to take an early four-point lead until Johnson and Childs combined for the next seven points, giving BU a 10-7 edge.
• Nelson connected from beyond-the-arc before Pina continued the long-distance trend with a pair of 3-pointers, furthering the lead to 21-16 with under two minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
• Nelson made it 4-for-4 from deep before Chiara Tibbitt worked a spin move in the post, giving the Terriers at 33-26 command midway through the second frame.
• The Aggies converted on five straight free throws to end the half, reducing BU's grip to 33-31.
• Davis rolled out a 16-3 run to start the third quarter to take a double-digit lead, 47-36, at the halfway point in the frame.
• Pina and Nelson converted on back-to-back three-point plays, putting the score at 52-44.
• Pina drilled a buzzer-beating triple to end the quarter, getting BU within single digits again, 57-49.
• BU continued to chip away while Pina remained red-hot, hitting a pair of 3-pointers to make it a two-point game, 59-57.
• Johnson came up with a steal and finished in transition as a 10-2 Terrier run tied the game up at 59-all with six minutes left on the clock.
• However, Davis answered with a 9-0 streak to pull ahead ahead, 59-68, with 2:50 to go.
• BU came within a six-point margin three times over the final minutes, but couldn't come within one possession.

Game Notes

• BU fell to 0-2 all-time against Big West opponents.
• The Terriers were red-hot from 3-point range in the first half, hitting on 7-of-10 attempts.
• Nelson shot 5-for-6 from the floor as part of a 14-point first half, which matched her previous season-high scoring total. 

Up Next

• BU will remain in Northern California, next visiting Cal Berkeley on Saturday, Dec.  7 for a 2 p.m. PST start.