BERKELEY – The California women’s basketball team stormed back from a 15-point deficit with 9:14 remaining in the fourth quarter and came away with an exciting 78-70 win over Eastern Washington (6-3) Friday afternoon at Haas Pavilion to improve to 9-2 on the season. The Golden Bears held the Eagles to just 30.8% shooting from the field in the fourth and only allowed one 3-pointer in the second half after they made seven in the first.
For the second time this season, five Bears scored in double figures led by Marta Suárez, who had game-highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Leilani McIntosh (14), Kemery Martín (12), Michelle Onyiah (12) and Lulu Laditan-Twidale (10) all joined Suárez in double figures. Martín and McIntosh paced the game with four and three steals respectively while Onyiah added eight rebounds.
“I'm just really proud of the resiliency that we showed,” Cal head coach Charmin Smith said. “We went down 15 and chose to keep fighting and took control in the fourth, and that's a really good Eastern Washington team. They were one possession away with Gonzaga. So I'm really proud of this win and how we fought.”
The Bears hit five consecutive field goals to power a 15-5 run to open the game, which was capped by an Onyiah turnaround jump shot. The Eagles managed to go on a 5-0 run to end the quarter and bring them within three points.
Both teams’ offenses slowed down in the second quarter. A Suárez 3-pointer put the Bears up five points at the 3:50 mark, but the Eagles responded with a 10-0 run to take a seven-point lead before Martín got fouled right before the end of the half. She hit both free throws to give the Bears a five-point deficit going into the half.
The Eagles built an 11-point lead to open the third quarter before Ila Lane got fouled on a layup attempt and converted a free throw at the 6:58 mark to end Eastern Washington’s 6-0 run. McIntosh converted a 3-point play midway through the quarter followed by a Martín 3-pointer to bring the Bears to within eight points. The Bears would cut the deficit to six points on a Suárez layup, but the Eagles responded with a 7-0 run to end the third quarter and go into the final frame up 13 points.
Cal turned up the heat in the fourth quarter using a pair of consecutive Twidale 3 pointers to cut the deficit to just three points at the 5:30 mark. McKayla Williams hit a turnaround jump shot with 2:13 remaining to complete the comeback, put the Bears up 68-66 and cap an 18-3 run. After the Eagles tied up the game 68-68 with 1:08 to go, Cal used a pair of consecutive fastbreak layups by McIntosh and Williams to spur an 8-0 run and seal the win.
Eastern Washington was led by Jacinta Buckley and Aliyah Alexander, who had 16 and 13 points respectively.
UP NEXT
Cal's homestand continues next Thursday against Louisiana Monroe. The nonconference contest will tip off at 2 p.m. PT and will be live-streamed.
