Bears Host Bulldogs
BERKELEY – The Cal women's basketball is back in action on Thursday morning, when the Golden Bears (5-1) take on Fresno State (2-4) at 11:30 a.m. PT at Haas Pavilion. Thursday's game will be streamed live on the Cal Live Stream. Fans can also follow the action via live stats which can be accessed at Statbroadcast.com or by visiting the Cal women's basketball schedule page.
The Bears are looking to get back into the win column after falling to Ole Miss 64-45 in the Championship Game of the Raising the B.A.R. Invitational powered by Cal last Saturday. Prior to that, the Bears extended their winning streak to five games with an 82-73 win over Furman in the tournament opener.
Tickets for Thursday's contest can be purchased here. All fans 12 and older attending the game will be required to show proof of a full COVID-19 vaccination and a photo ID prior to entry.
GAME 7 INFORMATION
Date/Time: Dec. 2, 2021 – 11:30 a.m. PT
Opponent: Fresno State Bulldogs (2-4, 0-0 Mountain West)
Site: Haas Pavilion (Berkeley)
TV: Cal Live Stream
Live Stats: Statbroadcast.com
AT A GLANCE
• The Bears are coming off their first loss of the season after winning five-straight to begin the year. The 5-1 start is the best start for the Bears under third year head coach Charmin Smith, and tied for the sixth best start in the last 20 years.
• Through six contests, the Bears rank 81st in the nation and fourth in the Pac-12 in scoring, averaging 72.0 points per game. Defensively, they rank 99th in the nation and seventh in the Pac-12 allowing just 58.7 points per contest. Cal's +13.3 scoring margin ranks 75th in the nation and sixth in the Pac-12.
• From the field, Cal is shooting 40.5 percent from the field which ranks ninth in the Pac-12. From beyond the arc, the Bears are shooting 32.7 percent which ranks eighth in the Pac-12. Junior forward Evelien Lutje Schipholt ranks 26th in the nation and third in the Pac-12 with a 60.4 field goal percentage.
• Cal's opponents are averaging 58.7 points per game this season and shooting 32.8 percent from the field, which ranks 23rd in the nation and third in the Pac-12.
• The Bears live at the line this season. Cal ranks 39th in the nation in free throw attempts (135). They are 24th in the nation in free throws made (103), and rank 53rd in free throw percentage (76.3).
•Get ahead, stay ahead: The Bears are 5-0 in games in which they have the lead at the intermission. Following the Furman win, the Bears had led in 178 minutes and 59 seconds out of a possible 200 minutes. In the Bear's lone loss, Ole Miss led the entire contest.
• Minutes played: Cal has two players averaging over 34 minutes per contest. Guard Cailyn Crocker is fourth in the Pac-12 in minutes played averaging 34.5 minutes per game. Jayda Curry is right behind her at 34.1 minutes per contest. Through six contests, Cal has five players averaging 20 or more minutes per game and an additional three players averaging 10 or more minutes per game.
• 70 or bust: Under head coach Charmin Smith, the Golden Bears are 12-3 in contests in which they score at least 70 points, they are 8-0 when they score 76 or more. In Cal's five wins, they are averaging 77.4 points per game, in their one loss they scored just 45 points.
Series Versus Fresno State
Thursday marks the 28th time the Bears and Bulldogs have met. The series dates back to the 1977-78 season when Cal and Fresno State were conference rivals in the old NORCAL conference. All-time, Cal owns a 22-5 advantage in the series and has won seven-straight. In Berkeley, Cal is 12-1 against the Bulldogs, with the last home contest taking place on Dec. 7, 2006. Cal came away with a 77-62 win that day. Since 1986 - the Bears and Bulldogs have met just 10 times, with two meetings coming in the NCAA Tournament.
About the Bulldogs
Fresno State enters Thursday's contest with a 2-4 overall record and have lost three-straight. On the road this year they are 1-2, with their lone win coming at Utah Valley in the season opener. As a team, the Bulldogs average 68.0 points per game and are shooting 38.8 percent from the field. Their opponents are averaging 70.8 points per contest and shooting 42.0 percent from the field. Fresno State is led by twin guards Haley and Hanna Cavinder. Haley is averaging 17.0 points per game and leads the team in rebounding at 9.7 rebounds per game. Hanna is averaging 14.3 points per contest and is shooting 46.2 percent from 3-point range.
Last Time Out Versus Fresno State
The last time the Bears and Bulldogs faced came in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Mar. 23, 2013. In that game, the Bulldogs made eight first half 3-point field goals and was led by guard Ki-Ki Moore, however, Moore's 33 points was not enough as Cal's depth led the way to a 14-point win for the Golden Bears. Former Bear, Brittany Boyd was one assist shy of a triple double, scoring a team-high 21 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. She was one of five Bears to score in double figures. Current assistant coach, Eliza Pierre, logged 21 minutes in that contest and dished out six assists.
UP NEXT
Cal heads back out on the road, traveling to Fayetteville, Arkansas to take on Arkansas on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. PT, 1:00 p.m. local time. Sunday's game will be televised on SECN+.
STAY CONNECTED
For complete coverage of Cal women's basketball, please follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalWBball), Instagram (@CalWBball) and Facebook (/CalWBball/).