LBSU Edged By UC Davis 59-56 After Late Lead

Thursday, March 5

Davis, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

5-24,4-15Big West

UC Davis

22-8,15-4Big West

Long Beach St.

UC Davis

3/5/2026 9:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Akot and Jones-Brown spark third-quarter turnaround before UC Davis answers at the line

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

DAVIS, Calif. -- Long Beach State battled back from a 10-point second quarter deficit, surged in front behind a dominant third period, and carried a late lead into the final minute before UC Davis closed on a 7-1 run to edge the Beach 59-56 at the University Credit Union Center.

JaQuoia Jones-Brown paced Long Beach State with 23 points on 10-15 shooting, while Khylee Pepe added 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Beach shot 45 percent from the field and outrebounded the Aggies 34-30, but late turnovers proved costly.

UC Davis struck first, turning an early steal into a three-pointer from Nya Epps for a quick 3-0 lead. Jones-Brown answered from deep to tie it, and the teams traded baskets through the middle of the opening period. Each time the Beach evened the score, the Aggies responded, closing the frame on a 7-2 push capped by a Megan Norris three and an Epps pull-up off a turnover to take an 18-13 advantage.

The Aggies stretched the margin to 23-13 early in the second behind Norris, who buried a three and finished in transition to complete a 10-0 swing. Long Beach State steadied itself behind Jones-Brown's midrange game. She knocked down a pull-up, then a three to trim the gap to five. Pepe attacked the glass for second-chance points, and Rosie Akot converted off a steal as the Beach methodically chipped away.

With 1:15 left in the half, Brynna Pukis drilled a three to cap a 9-0 run and tie the game 27-27. UC Davis countered in the final minute, getting a three from Victoria Baker and two free throws from Epps, but Jones-Brown scored in the closing seconds to keep Long Beach State within 32-29 at the break.

Out of halftime, the Beach flipped the game with defensive pressure. Akot scored on back-to-back steals, including a fast break finish that pulled Long Beach State within one. Moments later she converted again in the paint to give the Beach its first lead since the opening minutes.

Jones-Brown took over from there. She hit a pull-up jumper in transition to push Long Beach State in front, then finished through traffic off another turnover to extend the lead. Kennan Ka added a second-chance bucket, and Jones-Brown capped the surge with a driving layup in the final minute of the third as the Beach closed the period with a 47-43 lead.

Jones-Brown opened the fourth with another midrange jumper to stretch the advantage to 49-43, the largest of the night for Long Beach State. But UC Davis turned up its pressure, forcing consecutive turnovers that Ryann Bennett converted into tying layups at 50-50.

Pepe answered with a second-chance finish to reclaim the lead, and after another Aggie basket, Akot stepped into a clutch three with 2:36 remaining to put the Beach ahead 55-54.

The final minute belonged to UC Davis. Norris buried a go-ahead three with 52 seconds left, and after Pepe split a pair at the line to make it 57-56, Bennett drew a foul and sank two free throws with 13 seconds remaining to extend the margin to three.

Long Beach State had one last look, but Morgan Mack's jumper at the buzzer was short, allowing the Aggies to seal the 59-56 decision.