The California Golden Bears showed heart and hustle in battling No. 10 UCLA before falling 74-70 in overtime.
“That was a doozy,” said Cal head coach Charmin Smith. “Both teams played extremely hard and gave a ton of effort, and unfortunately we came up just a little bit short.”
Jaelyn Brown had 17 points to lead four Bears in double figures. CJ West had 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Freshmen provided Cal a huge boost: Leilani McIntosh had 11 points, seven rebounds, and six assists; Cailyn Crocker had 12 points and four assists; Evelien Lutje Schipholt contributed eight points and 11 rebounds, helping Cal to the 55-39 rebounding edge that kept the Bears in the game.
“I’d be lying if I said I expected that,” said Smith. “What we did know was that if we didn’t keep them off the glass, we had no chance. I love how aggressive we were.”
“Give a lot of credit to Cal for their attack mentality,” said UCLA had coach Cori Close. “Their confidence in their young team, the way they found their go too players. The way they established Celeste West inside. They did so many good things.”
The Bears could not stop Michaela Onyenwere, who shook off early foul trouble to dominate on overtime (six points) en route to a game-high 21 points. Charisma Osborne contributed 17, and Natalie Chou had 12.
Cal falls to 9-14 (1-11 Pac-12). UCLA is 21-2 (10-2 Pac-12).
Natalie Chou hit two threes and Michaela Onyenwere used her quickness and length to get to the basket, scoring five quick points to stake UCLA to the 11-7 lead.
CJ West dominated the glass for Cal early, but she was whistled for second foul and went to the bench with 5:23 left in the first.
Jaelyn Brown kept Cal close with her aggressive play, outjumping UCLA players and scoring five points. Cal also played great defense inside, moving their feet and swatting shots.
UCLA’s Onyenwere picked up two fouls and went to the bench. But even without their star, the Bruins’ crisp passing stretched the floor, and UCLA knocked down three consecutive threes--two by Jaden Owens and one by Charisma Osborne--to stretch the lead.
On offense, Cal was unable to find any space against the UCLA defense, and the turnovers and missed shots piled up. Cal had seven give-aways in the first 10 minutes, and while hitting only three of 11 shots, UCLA ended the first up 22-14.
Neither team scored for the first two minutes of the second, and Evelien Lutje Schipholt finally got Cal on the board with a layup. But Osborne came right back with a three and a steal and breakaway layup, and UCLA was up 27-16, prompting a Cal timeout.
Osborne hit another three, but consecutive threes by Sara Anastasieska and Brown gave Cal some life.
Cal missed some high-percentage shots but continued to hustle, powered by their smallest players. Cailyn Crocker snuck in for a offensive rebound and putback. Leilani McIntosh, who had scrapped and clawed for multiple held balls to help Cal ratchet up the defensive intensity, raced in for a layup. West hit over the front rim, and all of a sudden, Cal was back within 32-29, with just under two minutes to go in the second.
After a timeout, UCLA quickly righted the ship, rattling in consecutive shots. But the Lutje Schipholt helped Cal keep pace with three points of her own, and at the half the Bears trailed 36-32.
While Cal continued to struggle with poor shooting and turnovers, their hustle and aggressiveness earned them a 27-16 advantage in rebounds and at the line (14 to 1 attempts).
“I take it on myself; every game I try to focus on it,” said West about rebounding. “For us post players, it’s one of the things we really really have to do. We watched film of them getting oboards on other people and then seen teams that box them out and see how successful they were... It was good to see that, inspiring for me to be able to do that too.”
“It was amazing,” said Brown. “That kept us in the game, for sure.”
CJ West split a pair of free throws to open the third for Cal. Brown jumper got Cal within one, 36-35.
But Cal could not get over the hump, missing a series of shots in the paint.
Chou hit an open jumper from the free-throw line, and Onyenwere knocked down two free throws to restore the five-point lead.
With every other play resulting on someone on the floor, Lutje Schipholt and West hit consecutive second-chance buckets, drawing Cal to 42-41 and UCLA called time with 3:36 left in the third.
West set a high screen and McIntosh streaked down the lane. Her floater gave Cal their first lead, 43-42, at the 2:56 mark in the third.
Suddenly, the offenses kicked into gear, with both teams attacking early in the clock. UCLA hit five shots in a row, the last three by Onyenwere, and the Bruins entered the fourth ahead 52-47.
Onyenwere continued her hot streak with two more baskets. Then, tripled-teamed in the paint, she found Chou for a lay-up. A free-throw by Chantel Horvath put UCLA up 57-49, with eight minutes left.
Crocker knocked down a three from the corner, but Japrece Dean hit two consecutive baskets--her first after 11 misses--to keep Cal at bay.
But Cal began to play better, starting with taking care of the ball.
“If we turn over against this team, we have no hope,” said Smith. “At halftime, I told them there were two things that were going to happen. In their locker room, they’re saying, ‘We survived some foul trouble and Onyenwere is coming back.’ In our locker room, we’re saying, ‘We survived our turnover thing, now we gotta clean up and take care of the ball if we want to have a chance in this second half. And we did. We locked in and did a much better job.”
Anastasieska used every move she had to shake her defender and hit a short turnaround jumper. Then Crocker called her own number, getting to the line for one free-throw and then hitting a layup, making a one possession game, with three minutes left in regulation.
Osborne hit a layup for UCLA, but then McIntosh grabbed a rebound and took it coast to coast and Cal was down 63-61.
West got herself to the line and knocked down both, tying the game with 1:30 to play.
Crocker missed a three, and on the other end, UCLA’s Chou missed one at the end of the clock. But UCLA secured the rebound and after another miss, again retained possession.
With 5.3 seconds to play, UCLA called time. They found Dean for an open three, but the shot bounced off, and the game went to overtime.
“I thought those two offensive rebounds were game-changing,” said Close. “We did not get that shot to fall, but we didn’t give them another opportunity.”
Cal won the tip to start overtime, but West missed down low. On the other end, Brown went high and met Onyenwere at the top, blocking the shot.
McIntosh hit a pull up, breaking the seal in the extra period and giving Cal the lead, 65-63.
UCLA went to Onyenwere again, and this time she drew a foul on Lutje Schipholt. Her two free throws tied the game.
After committing only one turnover in the fourth, Cal had two at the start of overtime.
Onyenwere finished through a double-team. On the next trip, Lauryn Miller hit a free throw, and UCLA pulled ahead 68-65.
The Bruins seemed to have more energy, getting to every loose ball.
Still, Cal battled. Crocker hit on a drive. After Osborned hit two free throws, Brown’s three tied the game at 70.
UCLA missed three, and Cal had the ball with a minute to play. But the Bears only managed a wild drive by McIntosh, which missed.
“We had a stretch where we weren’t getting into what we wanted to be in, and it forced some people into some tough shots,” said Smith. “But credit UCLA, they made some tough shots.”
Onyenwere squared up and calmly sank a jumper, pulling UCLA ahead 72-70 with 25.7 left. Cal called timeout.
Brown missed jumper. West grabbed the rebound, but Miller created the held ball, which went to UCLA.
Dean hit both free throws for the 74-70 final tally.
Cal called their last time out with 16 seconds to go, but the Bears never could get a final shot off, as UCLA harassed Cal’s guard on the perimeter into a turnover.
“I’m proud of how we battled, how we competed, against a really good team,” said Smith. “We have a lot of pride, and today we stepped up to the challenge of playing against a ranked opponent. I want us to play at this level all the time.”
Close also had some encouraging words for Smith and Cal. “She’s going build a great program here, period. I’ve been on the WBCA board with her, and she’s so sharp. She’s inspired me with the way that she fights for her players, and for women in the sport, and specifically women of color. I just really admire who she is and the foundation that she’s building this program. You don’t get rewarded right away, even though you’re growing. I really respect who she is and the program she’s going to build here. And I’m happy that she’s in the Pac-12.”
