BERKELEY – The California women’s basketball team used a dominant fourth quarter to run away with a 69-52 win over visiting Sac State at its home opener at Haas Pavilion on Sunday night. The Golden Bears (1-1) handed the Hornets (2-1) their first loss of the season and extended their winning streak to seven in the series.
Mjracle Sheppard had a great all-around game finishing with a game and career-high 16 points to go along with seven rebounds and six assists. Taylor Barnes had her second straight game scoring in double figures finishing with 12 points while adding three steals.
After Cal took a 10-point lead at the 7:41 mark in the fourth quarter, Sac State responded with a 7-0 run to go down by just three points with 5:43 to go. From there it was all Cal as the Bears closed on a 21-5 run to end the game and ruin any chances of an upset. Barnes hit a turnaround jumper and Lulu Twidale grabbed a rebound and went coast-to-coast to spur the run.
The Bears held the Hornets scoreless for a five-minute stretch in the first quarter and went on a 7-0 run to take back the lead with just under three minutes left.
Cal kept up the defensive intensity and opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run, but Sac State answered with its own 12-2 run to retake the lead at 23-21 with four minutes left in the quarter. Cal held Sac State scoreless over the last 2:23 of the quarter and took a 26-25 lead into the break.
Cal was held without a bucket for nearly five minutes in the third quarter until Barnes found Sheppard on a backdoor cut for the layup at the 2:16 mark. Lola Donez followed up with a triple to put the Bears up 37-29 with just under two minutes left in the quarter.
“I’m happy to get into the win column for our home opener but I know we have some things to work on,” Cal head coach Charmin Smith said. “I like how this group is listening and responding. I’m impressed with our newcomers Taylor [Barnes] here and Mjracle [Sheppard], Puff [Morris] and Sakima [Walker]. We got a good group. It’s going to take us some time to gel and get to where we want to be but I think we’re headed in the right direction.”
Sac State was led by Benthe Versteeg and Keanna Salave’a who had 12 points each.
NEXT UP
Cal continues its homestand taking on Pacific on Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT at Haas Pavilion.
