AU Combined 25-26.pdf - Auburn Tigers - Official Athletics Website
I have been extremely busy, but I'll give everyone an overview of today's matchup. My forecast is that Auburn prevails 62-58 over Cal this evening. I remember last season's game when the athleticism and speed of the Tigers caused the Bears big problems. The SEC team came the closest to beating Cal in Berkeley by forcing 29 turnovers. I forsee a defensive struggle with both teams only able to score approximately ten points less than their respective season averages.
When I witnessed the Grand Canyon game on Monday, I flash-backed to the Auburn offensive debacle of 2024. I envisioned that losing Ioanna Krimili and Marta Suarez would make the Bears a much better ball-handling team this season. When I saw the 24 TOs against the Lopes, I changed my mind. Cal does not have a competent point guard that I can see at the moment. Auburn has been forcing 23.1 TOs per game (which includes 13.6 steals). The Bears can win if they can limit their turnovers to 18 or less. If the Tigers create more than that I feel that the tide will turn against us. If my prediction is accurate, it will be the initial time THIS SEASON that Cal will have been held under sixty points.
Auburn has allowed 51.3 ppg behind their undefeated (7-0) record. They have held three opponent's offenses to point totals in the forties. The Tigers have held three others to scores in the fifties. Only one team has tallied sixty or more points against them. Rutgers played Auburn tough but fell, 51-46.
The Tigers only return Kaitlyn Duhon from last year's lineup. The Bears have a similar situation with one starter back in Lulu Twidale. Cal's defense has been shaky lately. They allowed St Marys and GCU to shoot 52% & 48%, respectively. Lulu Twidale led Cal to a come from behind victory last season, but she cannot hit her three-point shots on a regular basis in 2025. She only hit 1-9 vs Grand Canyon with nearly all of 'em coming up short and hitting the front rim. She is only 10 for 47 (21.3%) on the season. Actually, she possesses the second lowest shooting percentage (34.7) on the team for players that receive 9 minutes of PT or more.
Women's Basketball 2025-26 - Auburn Tigers - Official Athletics Website
Auburn plays a six-player rotation using five guards and a single post. Four of them average between 11-12 points per game. They do have a 6-9 redshirt freshman center named Arek Angui from Sudan that they could try to match up with Cal's 6-5 Sakima Walker. However, she has only averaged 11.5 minutes of PT to date. Their star inside threat is 6-2 soph PF, Khady Leye, from Senegal. She leads in rebounding with 5.7 average but half of her total come on the offensive glass (20). Leye also is their top shot blocker w/ 10. Khady contributes 11.1 points per game to the Tiger's offense. Cal may want to try to contain Leye with 6-1 forward Naya Ojukwu.
Their top offensive player is Mya Petticord with a dozen points per contest. She also is the top three-point threat, hitting 40.7% with 11-27. Kaitlyn Duhon is Auburn's defensive stopper and leads the team with 22 steals.
Cal will have to play their best game of the early season to make this a three-game winning streak vs Auburn.
I would imagine that the Bears (6-1) are the toughest opponent for the Tigers this early in 2025-26, too.
GO BEARS!
I have been extremely busy, but I'll give everyone an overview of today's matchup. My forecast is that Auburn prevails 62-58 over Cal this evening. I remember last season's game when the athleticism and speed of the Tigers caused the Bears big problems. The SEC team came the closest to beating Cal in Berkeley by forcing 29 turnovers. I forsee a defensive struggle with both teams only able to score approximately ten points less than their respective season averages.
When I witnessed the Grand Canyon game on Monday, I flash-backed to the Auburn offensive debacle of 2024. I envisioned that losing Ioanna Krimili and Marta Suarez would make the Bears a much better ball-handling team this season. When I saw the 24 TOs against the Lopes, I changed my mind. Cal does not have a competent point guard that I can see at the moment. Auburn has been forcing 23.1 TOs per game (which includes 13.6 steals). The Bears can win if they can limit their turnovers to 18 or less. If the Tigers create more than that I feel that the tide will turn against us. If my prediction is accurate, it will be the initial time THIS SEASON that Cal will have been held under sixty points.
Auburn has allowed 51.3 ppg behind their undefeated (7-0) record. They have held three opponent's offenses to point totals in the forties. The Tigers have held three others to scores in the fifties. Only one team has tallied sixty or more points against them. Rutgers played Auburn tough but fell, 51-46.
The Tigers only return Kaitlyn Duhon from last year's lineup. The Bears have a similar situation with one starter back in Lulu Twidale. Cal's defense has been shaky lately. They allowed St Marys and GCU to shoot 52% & 48%, respectively. Lulu Twidale led Cal to a come from behind victory last season, but she cannot hit her three-point shots on a regular basis in 2025. She only hit 1-9 vs Grand Canyon with nearly all of 'em coming up short and hitting the front rim. She is only 10 for 47 (21.3%) on the season. Actually, she possesses the second lowest shooting percentage (34.7) on the team for players that receive 9 minutes of PT or more.
Women's Basketball 2025-26 - Auburn Tigers - Official Athletics Website
Auburn plays a six-player rotation using five guards and a single post. Four of them average between 11-12 points per game. They do have a 6-9 redshirt freshman center named Arek Angui from Sudan that they could try to match up with Cal's 6-5 Sakima Walker. However, she has only averaged 11.5 minutes of PT to date. Their star inside threat is 6-2 soph PF, Khady Leye, from Senegal. She leads in rebounding with 5.7 average but half of her total come on the offensive glass (20). Leye also is their top shot blocker w/ 10. Khady contributes 11.1 points per game to the Tiger's offense. Cal may want to try to contain Leye with 6-1 forward Naya Ojukwu.
Their top offensive player is Mya Petticord with a dozen points per contest. She also is the top three-point threat, hitting 40.7% with 11-27. Kaitlyn Duhon is Auburn's defensive stopper and leads the team with 22 steals.
Cal will have to play their best game of the early season to make this a three-game winning streak vs Auburn.
I would imagine that the Bears (6-1) are the toughest opponent for the Tigers this early in 2025-26, too.
GO BEARS!
