Bears Back In Haas, Host Colorado Friday Night
BERKELEY – The Cal women's basketball begins a three-game homestand on Friday when it hosts Colorado at 7:00 p.m. Friday's game will be televised on Pac-12 Network with Krista Blunk and Drew Schiller calling the action live from courtside. Fans can also follow the action live via live stats at Statbroadcast.com.
Cal (10-6, 1-4 Pac-12) is coming off a split down in Southern California. The Bears defeated USC on Friday night before falling to UCLA on Sunday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion.
After winning 13-straight to open the year, Colorado (15-6, 4-6 Pac-12) has lost six of their last eight contests. Last time out, the Buffalo defeated Washington 66-43 in Boulder.
Friday's game against the Buffalo will be the Cal retro shirt giveaway. The first 500 students who come to Haas will be given a free Cal retro tee shirt.
GAME 1 INFORMATION
Date/Time: Feb. 11, 2022 – 7:00 p.m.
Opponent: Colorado Buffalo (15-6, 4-6 Pac-12)
Site: Haas Pavilion (Berkeley, CA)
TV: Pac-12 Bay Area
Talent: Krista Blunk (play-by-play) Drew Schiller (analyst)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast.com
AT A GLANCE
• The Bears return to Haas Pavilion for a three-game homestand starting with Colorado on Friday, Utah on Sunday, and the rescheduled Arizona State game on Wednesday the 16.
• Last weekend, Cal split the Southern California road trip, defeating USC on Friday night and falling to UCLA by five on Sunday. With the win, Cal got its first conference win since defeating ASU on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021. It was the first conference road win since Cal upset No. 13 Arizona 55-54 in Tucson on 3/1/20.
• Sunday's loss was the first this season with Cal leading with 5:00 minutes to play in regulation. The Bears entered Sunday's contest with a 9-0 record in those games - under Charmin Smith they are now 20-3.
• As a team, the Bears are averaging 70.1 points per game which ranks 82nd in the nation and fifth in the Pac-12. Cal is allowing 66.8 points per contest. The +3.3-scoring margin is 156th in the country and ninth in the Pac-12.
• The Bears are 7-2 at home this year with the two losses coming at the hands of Ole Miss and Oregon. As a team, the Bears are averaging 76.4 points at Haas Pavilion and shooting 43.5 percent from the field. They are holding opponents to 67.2 points per game and 37.4 percent from the floor. Jayda Curry is averaging 18.8 points at home. Eveline Lutje Schipholt is averaging 12.9 ppg and shooting 55.3 percent from the field.
• Active bench: The Bears bench has been big all season - averaging 29.4 points per game. Against the Bruins, Cal got 26 points from its reserves – third-most this season behind the 57 scored against McNeese and 29 against Cal Poly - both in lopsided wins for Cal.
• Turnover woes: The Bears do a tremendous job taking care of the ball. They are 15th in the nation for the fewest turnovers allowed at 249. Against UCLA on Sunday, the Bears turned the ball over 19 times which led to 17 points for the Bruins. The 17 points allowed off turnovers is tied for fifth-most Cal has allowed this season.
• Crunch time: This season, and under Charmin Smith, the Bears have been tremendous at getting the win when leading with less than five minutes to play. Entering Sunday, they were 9-0 in those contests and 20-2 in the Smith Era. Unfortunately for the Bears, they could not extend that streak, falling to the Bruins despite holding a 43-41 lead with 4:03 to play. Cal is now 9-1 in those games and 20-3 under Smith.
• Jaz catches fire: Against the Bruins, Jazlen Green was feeling it from behind the arc. Green finished with 17 points going 5-for-12 from the field - all five field goals she made were 3-point field goals where she was 5-for-10. The five made triples were a single-game high - besting the old mark of four set against Arizona last season on 3/6/20.
• Solid stat line: On Sunday, guard Leilani McIntosh had a solid outing despite the loss. The junior guard from Phoenix had five points, five assists, three steals in the contest. It is the sixth time in her career she has had a game like that.
•No minutes restrictions: Leilani McIntosh played wire-to-wire in both the USC and UCLA game last weekend. It is the 11th time in her career she has played 40 or more minutes in a contest.
Series Versus Colorado
Friday is the 24th time the Bears and Buffalo have squared off. All-time Cal owns a 12-11 advantage in the series. The teams first met on Dec. 4, 1981, with Colorado winning 67-56 in Berkeley. Since joining the Pac-12 in 2011-12, the Bears are 12-6 against Colorado thanks to a nine-game winning streak that took place from 2011-16. At home, Cal is tied 5-5 against Colorado. The last meeting at Haas Pavilion went to the Buffalo who beat Cal 67-52 on Feb. 7, 2021.
Last Time Out Versus Colorado
After a tight first quarter - a seven-point second quarter was all the Bears could muster against the Buffalo and went into the locker trailing by 17 at the half. Out of the break, the Bears outscored Colorado 34-33 but could not make a dent in the deficit, falling 75-59 on Jan. 15, 2021. Leilani McIntosh had 4 points and 10 assists. Ornela Muca had 11 points in 16 minutes of action and Michelle Onyiah had 13 points and 12 rebounds. Colorado was led by Friday Foreman's game-high 19. Hollingshed had 18.
STAY CONNECTED
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