Charmin Smith hopefully has learned a lesson this season about providing enough depth for her team to function.
Granted Gabby took an unexpected medical retirement. IMO, she needs to bring in four transfers from the portal and a smaller freshmen recruit class in the future. The two prior seasons, Cal had four transfers and they really helped the Bears experience success. This year only two of the four freshmen have played meaningful minutes and now both of them are out. GO BEARS!

I am increasingly worried that Puff and Taylor are going to be out for the rest of the season.

Looking at some stats, Cal has had the 25th toughest schedule so far (out of 359 Div 1 teams). No more Quad 1 games are projected. Clemson, Virginia Tech, Virginia and Miami are currently listed as Quad 2 games, with Georgia Tech and Florida State Quad 3. SMU and Pitt are the Quad 4 games.

Woodacre said:

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Both Taylor and Puff are listed as out.

Georgia Tech has 4 players out, only one who has seen any action this year, and that was for only 4 games before she got hurt, #22 Noguero. She is still their 3rd highest scorer, 8.3 pts per game.

They are 10-13, 5-6 in the ACC. Net of #92, Cal is #53. Walker, #21, is high scorer, 16.3 pts. Alben, #5, is second at 10.4. Brianna Turnage, #0, scores 5.3 ppg but averages 9.8 rebounds. She is 6'1."

Bleacher Nation has Cal winning 68-65. For what it's worth.

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No surprise, final injury report is the same.

If you have the Sirius radio app, you can listen to the Georgia Tech feed on 976, with a pregame (!) starting at 3:30

Latest ESPN bracketology has us as #76. So beating some more ACC teams still ranked ahead of us is important, and beating teams ranked below us, like Georgia Tech is essential.

The ESPN number is higher than our NET number because so many teams get in based on winning weaker conferences.

ok this male broadcaster is going to annoy me all game...

Puff in uni on bench w/ a bulky brace on left knee

15-13 after 1. Team seems sorta flat

sloppy passes by Donez and Twidale.

Refs are not calling physical contact in the post on Sakima Walker & Naya Ojukwu. Tons of offensive fouls whistled by officials. Both posts have missed a couple of easy shots each.

Cal is dominating inside but is getting called for traveling too much. Bears have outrebounded the Yellowjackets 26-12 at halftime. I don't think that Drosouni & McCallop need to be playing. If one adds Donez & Langarita, Cal has four players that have great difficulty scoring. Drosouni & Langarita shot air balls on three-point attempts.

Bears offense has five players scoring between 5-8 points at intermission. This is a positive sign.

Bad sign-Cal is 1 for 7 from the field halfway through the 3rd quarter. Charmin needs to put Naya Ojukwu into the game. Bears have not made a field goal in more than three minutes. Everyone is missing .

GT outscored Cal in the third quarter and it would have been 15-9 without Donez's 3-point buzzer beater.

Why in the world is Drousini in the game vs Turnage instead of Naya Ojukwu. Now the coach puts in Langarita and it;'s a single possession game. What is going on? Is Ojukwu injured? She has not played in the second half and Cal is getting outrebounded. Twidale has not scored nor has Ojukwu in the second half with four minutes left in the game. The Yellowjackets have outscored and outrebounded the Bears in the second half.
HC brings back Langarita again with no Ojukwu.

Maul takes the team on her back and scores 5 straight to push Cal to a 6 point lead. Terrible foul on Sheppard as the shoot clock expired. Crawshaw scores two quick baskets to cut the lead to three points.

Bears squeak out a seven- point victory on the road in Georgia. Maul is MVP! Naya receives 11 m of PT, again. Naya did not appear to be injured during the time outs.

How hurt is Sheppard (again).? I see Anastasia is in and I don't think she's been on the court for some time.
And now McCallopp is in as well.

I missed it - what happened? McCallop has been in too. Or is it just getting some minutes vs GT?

kc1121 said:

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I missed it - what happened? McCallop has been in too. Or is it just getting some minutes vs GT?

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Sheppard got knocked down and was slow to get up.

at half: Cal 33 GT 24.
Cal dominating the glass per the announcers.

ncbears said:

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How hurt is Sheppard (again).? I see Anastasia is in and I don't think she's been on the court for some time.
And now McCallopp is in as well.

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Neither of them are helping much.

Have been calling for McCallop to get some minutes all season. Fast, athletic, good defender, more aggressive on offense than Donez.

Mjarcle and Lola have two fouls on them.

Decent, fair-minded commentators. (And keep on rebounding, Bears!)

Good start, hope they finish strong

Lola! Lo-lo-lo-Lola!

Coach Smith is right - if it takes this long, then there can't be enough to overturn the "basket good" call.

Ugh. Maul with a key three. Cal with the steal and Twidale just missed a wide open three from her spot.
But, 206 left and Cal up 57-51.

Finish strong!

Poor D as GT runs down and scores and then intercepts the lob to Walker and runs down again.
Cal up 3 - 59-56 with 48 seconds to go.

Cal has to score!

and Maul delivers! 35 seconds to go - Cal by five!

Maul with a huge shot up by five with 35 seconds to go

jeez. Maul commits a foul putting GT on the line with 33 seconds.

Walker with a big rebound off a Sheppard FT miss.
Maul fouled and makes one of two.
Cal 63 GT 56 with 22 seconds to go.