HENDERSON, Nev. - UC Riverside tipped off in the 2023 Big West Championships on Thursday night at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson with a 68-52 win in the quarterfinal round over No. 6 UC Davis. 

Second Team All-Big West honoree Flynn Cameron was one rebound shy of a double double, while First Teamer Zyon Pullin paced UCR with 19 points on 9-of-17 shooting while Nate Pickens chipped in nine points, three rebounds and a steal. 

UCR overcame a sluggish start to go on a 10-0 run over three minutes, making the Aggies miss their next six shots following a 2-for-3 start from the field. On the other end of the floor, the Highlanders forced six of Davis' nine turnovers up to the eight-minute media break. UC Riverside raced out to a 20-11 lead thanks to 14 points in the paint and six points off turnovers. 

All the scoring came either from the free throw line or inside the perimeter for the majority of the first half, as the rim was sealed shut from downtown for both teams. The game's first three went to Zyon Pullin at the 5:23 mark of the first half. 

The Highlanders rushed their offense out of halftime with a pair of errant threes, but made six of their next nine to jump out to a 44-36 advantage at the under-12 break. After a four-point halftime margin, the Highlanders outscored UC Davis 40-28 in the second half with 14 of them coming off the bench. 

Jhaylon Martinez was a main reason for UCR's 25-14 edge in bench points in Thursday's quarterfinal win, going for 11 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting that included a pair of threes - including a triple from up top that gave the Highlanders' their largest lead to date at 15. 

UC Riverside, who locked up the third seed for the second time in three years, is on to Friday night's semifinal round for the third time in program history and second time in three years, where they'll face No. 2 UC Santa Barbara on ESPN+.