I'm really glad to see this team get a chance to play in the post-season. They are a very talented and deserving group who are every bit as good as UCSD having beaten them 2 out of 3 times this year.

UCD at Pepperdine (19-12) on Thursday, 3/19

Unfortunately, we didn't get a home game. How do they decide who gets to be the home team?

Pepperdine 19-12, 10-8 WCC; 6th place in conference. 127 in Massey ratings - below UCI, UCSD & Hawaii. Definitely a winnable game. Davis 152 in Massey ratings.

Maybe looking at rankings (NET, RPI, etc.)? Probably the potential attendance figures in.? UCD in midst finals, so some students would be gone. Pepperdine not on qtr system.

The Ags would play Southern Utah in the second round if they beat Pepperdine.

https://www.womensnit.com/bracket

UCSD (24-8) is a 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They will play #3 seed TCU (29-5) in the first round. That's a tough draw for them.

https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/print/basketball-women/d1/2026

UC Irvine (26-6) will play at San Diego State (25-5) in the first round of the WBIT.

https://www.ncaa.com/_flysystem/public-s3/files/2026%20WBIT%20Bracket%20-%20Selection%20Bracket%20-%20Times%20(1).pdf

I do recall UCD couldn't host in some years due to the University Credit Union Center has been reserved for Picnic Day or other activities. I presume it wouldn't be an issue this year.

sounds like it’s mostly a bidding process with financial guarantees

Pepperdine (9-12, 10-8 WCC).
Common opponents:
Beat Fullerton (84-70; 1st game of season) and CSUN (69-63 just before Christmas),
Lost at Gonzaga (52-75 on Dec 30
Stats:
FG: 44% 3PT: 34% FT: 75% Reb: 39/game Assists: 16/game TO: 16/game Steals: 6/game
Score: 71
Opp. Stats:
FG: 38% 3PT: 33% FT: 74% Reb: 35/game Assists: 14/game TO: 14/game Steals: 9/game
Score: 66

UCD Stats:
FG: 41% 3PT: 31% FT: 76% Reb: 39/game Assists: 15/game TO: 15/game Steals: 7/game
Score: 69
Opp. Stats:
FG: 38% 3PT: 32% FT: 72% Reb: 37/game Assists: 11/game TO: 13/game Steals: 9/game
Score: 64

Notes:
About 1/3 of Pepperdine's FG's are 3-pointers, while about 1/2 of UCD's shots are 3 pointers. Pepperdine shoots fewer FT's than their opponents, while UCD shoots more FT's than their opponents.
Pepperdine is 13-3 at home; UCD 9-6 on the road - 12-7 if you count neutral court.
Pepperdine has 3 players who average between 30-32 min/gane; UCD has 4 averaging 31-36 min/game.
Pepperdine average attendance: 334; UCD average attendance: 963 (609 if Idaho game - Field Trip Day - attendance not included)

Both teams are remarkably even statistically.

You would have thought that we could have come up with $5000-$10,000 to host especially since the women have a strong, dedicated, community fan base. We average 963 per game many of which are not students. I think the revenue from tickets sales alone would have covered a lot of our cost to host the game and we wouldn't have the travel, food and lodging costs either.

Of the players on the Pepperdine roster, 3 of 12 are grad transfers; 4 others are undergrad transfers. 8 of 12 are from out of country, 3 from Australia. All 5 starters and 2 of 3 primary subs are transfers.
Starters are Guards: 5'6' Maria Sta, 5'11 Ellie Guiney, 5'10" Meghan Fiso, 6'2" Lina Falk & Forward 6'1" Shorna Preston
Primary subs are Guards 5'10" Selah Harmon, 6'0" Bella Green, and 5'10" Ivory Finley

Leading scorers are Guiney (14.0), Falk (11.7) and Fish (11.2).
Leading rebounders are Preston (8.4), Green (5.6) and Fish (4.9)
Sta & Guiney average 3 assists each.

we may have and the committee went with Pepperdine for some other reason.

The Aggie game at Pepperdine will be at 6 pm on Thursday the 19th and it will be televised on ESPN+. If they beat the Waves, they will host Southern Utah on Monday the 23rd and admission to the game will be free for everyone.

Good start for the Ags

21-19 Aggies at the end of the 1st quarter. Both teams playing well.

39-36 Pepperdine at the half. Both teams are shooting well and the Ags have had a bunch of backdoor cuts that have led to layups. The Aggies need to shore up their defense if they are going to win this game though. The Waves are getting way too many open looks and easy shots. The team that plays the best defense in the second half will win this game.

54-52 Aggies at the end of the 3rd quarter.

Ags lose a heartbreaker on a 3 point buzzer beater 71-68. The Aggies were down 8 with 1:16 to go and rallied to tie the game with 6.8 seconds left. Tough way to lose.

Lost to a buzzer beater.Brutal ending for our women. Good game to watch and a fun one to play in I’m sure. Just not the outcome we’d like.

SO close!

Tough ending

Such a rough ending but I absolutely loved this aggie team this year. Excited to see what they bring in MW play next year. Great season!

Before closing the book on the 2025-26 season a few final milestones of note.
Megan Norris leaves with the following team records:
Career Rebounds (1079); Season Rebounds (425); Season Rebounds per Game (12.5).
Also 11th all time in Career Points (1298) and tied for 4th in Career Blocked Shots (147). 2nd player
in program history to record 1,000 or more points and 1,000 or more rebounds.
20 double doubles might be a team record, though not listed in the current record book. Ditto 30 for
her career.
Avery Sussex's 236 Attempted 3-pointers are an Aggie season record, while her 82 made 3's put her 3rd on the season list in that category.
Ryann Bennett's 137 assists this season put her tied for 5th in that category with Courtney Eaton.
If both Bennett and Sussex duplicate their assist totals for this season for each of the next 2, they will both be near the top of the career assist list. And both have the potential to make it well onto other single season and career lists as well. Great pair of guards going forward!!
Finally, Jen Gross now sits at 281 career wins as head coach. Bob Hamilton's UCD career coaching record is 301. IF the Aggies can pull off a 4th consecutive 20 win season their first year in the Mountain West - maybe a tall order - Gross could tie or surpass Ham.
The program's 3rd consecutive 20 or more-win season mark the second time in Gross' career the program has accomplished that. Jorja Hoehn had 2 streak of four 20 or more wins - the second of which stretched to 5 total, with Sandy Simpson coaching the 1996-97 season in Hoehn's absence. Jorja returned for the following year, her last.

I sent a note to coach Jen and told her she needs to recruit more Megans.

Jen has a history of finding under-the-radar post players who grow into outstanding players under her guidance.

We have a 6'3" freshman post (Marta Forsline) from Minnesota in the 2026 recruiting class, but so far no one else with size to play that spot. Young and Tsami did their best when called on, but neither have the height (nor bulk to compensate). And neither really have the skillset or mindset for that position. Forsline seems something of a late bloomer, but reportedly has some of the same skills Megan developed.

Hopefully, we can find a grad or senior/junior transfer to bridge until the freshman is ready for prime time in the MW.