Utah Outlasts Cal In Overtime, 80-75

BERKELEY – In a game that featured big runs from both teams, Utah scored seven straight points in overtime to emerge with an 80-75 victory over Cal Sunday afternoon in Haas Pavilion.
 
The Golden Bears, who were playing their first overtime contest of the season, took a 75-73 lead after a pair of free throws from Jayda Curry. But the Utes' Gianna Kneepkens hit a 3-pointer with 1:26 remaining, then made four free throws down the stretch to clinch the win.
 
Dalayah Daniels tied her season high with 17 points to pace the Bears, while Evelien Lutje Schipholt had 16 points, Curry finished with 15, and Leilani McIntosh had 12 points, six assists and five steals.
 
Cal dominated the first quarter, opening the contest by rushing out to an 11-0 lead before five minutes had elapsed. After 10 minutes, Cal led, 22-11, shooting 9-for-14 from the floor. Daniels led the attack with eight points, two rebounds, two steals and a block in the opening period.
 
But once the second quarter started, Utah went on its own run, with back-to-back 3-pointers sparking a 17-0 burst to give the Utes a 30-22 advantage. McIntosh broke the streak with a 3-pointer for the Bears.
 
Cal played much of the first half without Curry, who picked up two fouls less than three minutes into the game and didn't return until midway through the second period. She scored her first bucket – a 3-pointer – with a minute left before halftime, and Utah led, 35-30, at the break.
 
Cal came out of the locker room and retook the lead on a 3-pointer from Curry with 5:43 left in the third quarter at 42-40 before Utah tied it again at 42-all. After the Bears went back up by two, the Utes scored nine straight to build a seven-point advantage and led, 53-48, at the end of three quarters.
 
Cal turned up the defense to begin the fourth quarter, getting steals on three consecutive possessions and converting each of them in the layups that gave the Bears a 54-53 edge. The teams traded baskets for much of the rest of the period before McIntosh tied it at 68-all with 34 seconds to go, sending the contest into overtime.
 
NEXT UP
Cal remains in Berkeley to host Arizona State Wednesday at 1 p.m. in a game rescheduled from earlier in the season. The Bears then travel to visit Oregon Feb. 18 and Oregon State Feb. 20.