After losing a series of close games in the final minutes, the California women’s basketball team finally won a close game on Sunday afternoon, beating Oregon State 64-62 at the Haas Pavilion.
This time, the Bears played when they had to.
“That’s what we’ve been missing,” Cal coach Charmin Smith said. You’re not making the most of important moments. And today we did it. I think we knew that if we made a mistake, we would not fold, we would bounce back, we would unite, and we would win this game. So I’m really proud of myself. ”
Jayda Curry was Cal’s high-scorer with 21 points, but it was Evelien Lutje Schipholt’s two plays in the final minute that finally scored the Bears (11-10, 2-8 Pac-12) on a six-game losing streak. finished. .
Losing three points to No. 3 Stanford in the road game two days earlier, Oregon State maintained an eight-point lead with eight minutes remaining.
Cal recovered to take a 61-60 lead on Curry’s 3-pointer at the 3:06 mark, but Talia von Erhoven made two free throws with 1:02 remaining to give Oregon State (11-10, 3 -7) was reverted. Dot ahead.
On Cal’s ensuing possession, Leilani McIntosh drove down the baseline and fed an eight-footer Luce Siholt tossed up in the lane with 45.2 seconds left to give the Bears a 63–61 lead.
Von Erhoven then drove down the lane and attempted a 10-foot shot, but Luce Sicholt blocked it with 16.5 seconds remaining, forcing Oregon State to retain possession and force a jump ball .
“I know she made a huge monster stop against Talia on defense,” Smith said. And yeah she was just awesome.
With 2 seconds on the shot clock, Oregon State’s inbounds pass was knocked out of bounds with 1 second on the shot clock.
Timea Gardiner took the next inbounds pass, but rushed for a 14-foot shot.
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However, Cal could not keep the game away from the foul line as McIntosh missed a pair of foul shots with 8.9 seconds remaining and Curry converted only the second of two free throws with 5.0 seconds remaining.
So Oregon State has another chance with 5.0 seconds remaining, and in women’s basketball, the team advances the ball into the frontcourt after a timeout.
Bendu Yeaney of the Beavers drove down the lane and hit a 7-foot shot from the right that went off after the buzzer sounded.
It was the first time Cal survived and won the game to the last seconds. The Bears had lost such a game to Oregon two days earlier after holding the lead with under two minutes remaining. They were dropping similar close quarters that resulted in the last few possessions against No. 2 Stanford, then – No. 19 Arizona and 25 Colorado.
But they got over the hump this time.
“They have stuck to it and worked very hard,” Smith said. This is a big step forward for him in February. ”
Curry also continued his three-point streak. She has scored at least one 3-pointer in her 43rd straight game in her 3-for-6 from behind the arc on Sunday, and USC’s Shay Murphy holds her Pac- Twelve records (from 1999 to 2000 she fell short) twice. .
A few stats stood out. Cal only scored seven turnovers, beating the Beavers 20-2. The Bears also scored a bigger and stronger Beaver, with his 13 offensive rebounds he had nine rebounds. This left Cal’s shot completion percentage at just 37.1% of his shots compared to his 44.1% for the Beavers, but the Bears attempted his goals eight more fields than Oregon State did. We were able to win.
Cal’s next four games are underway.
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