University of San Francisco Athletics

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SAN FRANCISCO – The 2012-13 women's basketball team is in rarified air in the record book of San Francisco history. The Dons powered to a 72-65 win over UC Davis to move to 2-0 on the season, something that hasn't been accomplished in the program since the 1998-99 season.

The Dons went down by two points before the clock took a tick after the UC Davis Aggies benefitted from an administrative technical foul.  But as soon as senior Mel Khlok swished a three pointer with the dish from Taylor Proctor to set the score at 8-8, the Dons could not be thwarted.

“I think there's just a whole different mindset here and they really have bought into not only our way of doing things, but also to each other,” coach Jennifer Azzi said after the victory. “I feel like they are really becoming a team and getting confidence from that.”

USF grew the first half lead to nine points after a layup was powered in by Denae Mary Williams midway through the period but the Aggies closed the gap to two by the halftime buzzer after Sydnee Fipps put up six of the final eight points of the period.  

“We talked a lot about effort,” Azzi said. “You're going to make mistakes, they're going to get a back door cut now and then, but just continue to play hard through the ups and downs of the game.”

UC Davis began the second down 36-34, but Blair Shinoda earned the tying bucket to knot the score for the first time since 8-8. Never relinquishing the lead, the Dons benefitted from a Zhané Dikes steal and fast break layup to up the score at 48-42 with 13:33 to play and forced a UC Davis timeout.

USF's defensive intensity resulted in an Aggies turnover that was followed by a Khlok three to stretch the margin back to nine. UC Davis again cut into the home advantage after Brianna Salvatore's jumper with 10:11 remaining had the game within two possessions.

Proctor went on a rampage, both offensively and defensively, beginning with a three-point basket with 10:01 on the clock. Getting back on defense, she blocked the shot of Salvatore and received a pass from Dikes that resulted in another made three to give the Dons a 13-point advantage.

“We're relentless, that's for sure. We have no fear,” Proctor said after her team-high 18 points in 38 minutes on the court. “We're going to come out hard every single game. Defense wins games. That's what we've been working on day in and day out in practice. That's the one thing that we're always going to be working on, no matter what.”

Despite the Dons holding a double-digit lead with under a minute to play, UC Davis put a scare into the gym after a beyond the arc bucket by Fipps cut the lead to four points with 28 seconds remaining. The Dons closed out with a fast break bucket by Dikes and a 1-of-2 trip to the line for Taj Winston to finish with the win.

“In the past, we never shared the ball like we are doing now, never really played for each other like we're doing now and some of that is just the maturity of the program now,” Azzi remarked of the team effort. “But some of our younger players, they're just fiery, they're intense. Taylor had a huge night tonight. Zhane had a huge night tonight. And Mel just provides us solid leadership as a senior. She's been a great mentor for them and I'm really excited she's playing so well.”

Along with Proctor's 18 points, she added five steals, five rebounds, four blocks and four assists for USF. Khlok finished with 15 points, nine of which were from long-range shots, and Dikes rounded out the double-digit scoring efforts with 12 points. UC Davis' leading scorer Fipps, who finished with 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting wouldn't be denied, but she was the only Aggie player to manage more than seven points in the contest.

Up next, USF puts their newly acquired streak on the line on Saturday as the team takes a trip to Cal State Fullerton for a 2 p.m. contest.