Cal Upsets #19 Alabama

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) Kayla Williams scored 21 points and California handed No. 19 Alabama its first loss 69-65 in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Thursday night.

Ionna Krimili, who had 19 points, made three free throws in the last half minute to seal the win for the Bears (8-1), who never led by more than six, that coming when Krimili made two free throws with 26.6 seconds to play.

Christabel Ezumah then made 1 of 2 from the line for Alabama, making it 68-63 with 19.1 seconds left but Krimili, who came in 25 of 28 from the line for the season, missed two free throws. Zaay Green scored inside for the Tide before Krimili missed her third straight free throw before icing the game with six seconds remaining.

Mara Suarez added 16 points and six assists for Cal, which picked up its fourth win against a 2024 NCAA Tournament team and the highest-ranked win since beating No. 13 Arizona on March 1, 2020. The win is also the first against a ranked opponent since the Bears defeated then-No. 25 USC on Feb. 15, 2023 and gives Cal its best start to a season under head coach Charmin Smith

Green led Alabama (9-1) with 28 points, Essence Cody added 13 and Karly Weathers had 12.

Cal was up 14-13 at the end of the first quarter but a 15-2 run put Alabama on top late in the second quarter. Cody scored six points and Green had five. But the Bears scored the next eight points and trailed 32-25 at the half. Green and Cody both had 13 points.

Alabama was up 41-36 after Sarah Ashlee Baker's three-point play almost three minutes into the third quarter but then the Golden Bears reeled off 11 straight. Krimili had a 3-pointer to tie it and Suarez followed with a 3 for the lead. Williams scored the last seven points of the half for Cal for a 54-50 lead heading into the fourth quarter. With the Bears up by four with 1:32 left in the game, Jayda Noble made a key block to hold the Tide off.

“This is a huge win for our program and what we have been fighting for,” Smith said. “To have this opportunity in the SEC/ACC Challenge means a lot. It was a great game for Marta on both ends of the floor. And then Kayla making plays, hitting dagger threes and responding. These guys didn’t hang their heads and they responded. That’s the true sign of winners.”

The only other meeting between the schools came in a Thanksgiving tournament in Chicago in 2000 with the Tide winning 76-63.

Cal plays at Pacific on Saturday at 1 p m. PT. The Crimson Tide have a long break before playing Murray State at home on Dec. 15.