Cal Handles LMU In 68-49 Win
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Cal women’s basketball team (4-1) defeated LMU (1-4), 68-49, in the first of back-to-back games at the LMU Thanksgiving Classic Friday. Three Bears finished in double-figures led by Jayda Curry and Kemery Martín with game-highs of 16 points each along with Evelien Lutje Schipholt who had 14. Four Bears also had at least five rebounds led by Lutje Schipholt with seven, Martín and Karisma Ortiz with six each and Jadyn Bush with five.
“We’re happy we got the win and were able to play a lot of people,” Cal head coach Charmin Smith said. “I thought we could have been sharper in certain spots but we’re still a team that’s learning each other and putting the pieces together so just another step in the right direction to get the win today.”
The Lions jumped out to a brief four-point lead midway through the first quarter before the Bears went on a 12-0 run fueled by seven Curry points that lasted until the 6:42 mark in the second quarter. Cal built a 12-point lead late in the first half but the Lions answered with three consecutive 3-pointers to end the half on a 9-4 run to be down just seven points at the break. The Bears held a 45.2-24.2 percent shooting advantage for the half.
Cal opened the second half on a 6-0 run and didn’t allow LMU to score it’s first bucket until the 6:32 mark in the third quarter. The Bears built its biggest lead of the game at that points of 13 points late in the quarter but the Lions once again responded with its own 5-0 run to end the third down only eight points. Martín got the fourth quarter started with an 8-0 run by herself which included back-to-back 3-pointers on the way to helping Cal to a 20-point lead and decisive victory. Martín went 3-for-3 from distance in the quarter.
Curry hit two 3-pointers in the game to extend her streak of consecutive regular season games with at least one made 3-pointer to 27 games which is the longest streak among active Pac-12 players and ranks sixth all-time since the 1999-00 season. For the fifth consecutive game the Bears’ bench outscored its opponent’s bench with a 16-12 advantage. Cal also outscored LMU in the paint with a 38-22 edge.
LMU was led by Alexis Mark and Se’Quoia Allmond who had 10 points each.
Cal concludes the LMU Thanksgiving Classic in Los Angeles against Montana tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.