Playing the UC Davis women’s basketball team anytime soon?

Bring Velcro. Have Elmer’s Glue. Solder the ball to your hand.

If you don’t — poof! It’s gone.

In just four contests, UCD has forced 99 turnovers. The cast of swarming Aggies has been relentless in playing defense against Washington, Seattle, San Jose State and, on Sunday, visiting Wichita State.

Four games, four schools sent packing, shaking their heads in disbelief.

“We’re really focusing this year on having our defense create our offense,” said UCD’s first-year coach Jennifer Gross. “A really good defensive team brings the same energy every time on the defensive side, then that fuels what you’re doing on the other side of the ball.”

Next, the locals meet San Francisco (1-3) at The Pavilion at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday. The Dons are coming off of an 85-81 home loss to Northern Colorado. Tuesday’s game is part of a doubleheader with the men, who meet Sacramento State at 7 p.m.

In Sunday’s blitz of the Shockers, UCD forced 26 turnovers, while badgering visiting Wichita State into a 62-47 loss.

It marked the Aggies’ fourth straight win without a blemish while the Shockers, of the Missouri Valley Conference, fell to 1-3.

After Wichita’s Haleigh Lankster opened the scoring with a layup 96 seconds into the contest, the Aggies went to work.

Twenty seconds later, Kasey Riecks’ 3-pointer gave the locals a lead they’d never relinquish.

A Blair Shinoda jumper was followed by a Samantha Meggison basket in the paint. After Meggison used a Hana Asano assist for another easy bucket, Asano swiped a Jessica Diamond pass and went the distance.

With the score now 11-2 — and UCD in the midst of an 18-0 run — Wichita State was wobbly and probably felt like it had seen all this before. It had.

In Kansas, the Aggies used a 25-0 run in beating the Shockers, 78-66, on Dec. 14, 2010.

Despite being down 18-2 at 11:36 of the first half, a balanced attack would help Wichita claw back into contention.

“We jumped out to a nice lead,” Gross said. “But I thought when we had that nice lead, we missed a couple of shots and our energy — you could see it deflate just a little bit, and they capitalized on that. They got some easy buckets in transition.”

After Riecks scored at 9:03, UCD would score only three more points in the half and the Shockers closed to 25-22 at intermission.

“I think they were a little bit more prepared,” Meggison said, recalling last year’s game. “But once we got into our offense … they weren’t really ready for our second and third options.”

Meggison had a game-high 16 points and added five steals as the Aggies pilfered the ball 14 times as part of those 26 turnovers.

When a shaky UCD opening of the second period put WSU just a bucket down, 29-27, the Aggies had had enough.

Asano canned a 3-pointer, Meggison made two free throws and her ensuing steal led to a Riecks layup.

Shinoda and Meggison scored off dishes by Asano, Hannah Stephens tallied inside and, when Cortney French hit a three from 23 feet out, UCD equaled its biggest lead of the night, up 45-29 at 13:13.

After shooting 31 percent in the first half, the Aggies hit 13-of-24 second-stanza tries, finishing at 41 percent from the floor.

Gross felt the second half was “a much more consistent effort.”

Riecks added 12 points, Shinoda had nine, Stephens had seven and French and Asano each added six. Brianna Salvatore chimed in with four.

Lankster led Wichita State with 14 points. The Aggies were outrebounded, 37-30.

Notes: The Aggies are ranked 21st in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll. For the first time in school history, Wichita State checked in at No. 34 in the same survey. … UCD freshman forward Lauren Beyer (knee) was in a full-leg brace Sunday. Gross said the extent of the Elk Grove native’s injury would be pinpointed this week: “We hope she’s back soon.” Beyer was hurt at the end of an 80-60 win over San Jose State last Wednesday. … WSU coach Jody Adams is an early-1990s disciple of legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt. Adams played point guard for the Vols. … The starting time of 2 p.m. meant the Aggies were competing with a televised San Francisco 49er home game. The announced attendance was 461 — giving UCD a paltry home total of 785 after two games.

— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at [email protected] or (530) 747-8047.

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UCD senior Kasey Riecks (25) absorbs contact as she drives to the basket on Sunday during the Aggies’ 62-47 home victory over the Wichita State. Fred Gladdis/Enterprise photo

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