BERKELEY – It was a tight contest for most of the game but a strong finish in the closing minutes of the third quarter powered the California women's basketball team to a 76-65 win over Harvard to capture its second straight Raising The B.A.R. Invitational championship at Haas Pavilion on Sunday night. Down by six points with 4:48 left in the third quarter, the Golden Bears (4-1) outscored the Crimson (2-3) 16-3 to close the quarter and take a lead they would hold for the rest of the game.
Puff Morris was named the tournament MVP after averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.5 triples over the two contests. She was joined on the all-tournament team by Sakima Walker. Lulu Twidale nailed four 3-pointers and moved into the fifth spot on Cal's all-time career 3-pointers list passing Lauren Greif.
Several other Bears had an impact on the game as Naya Ojukwu had five offensive rebounds and scored seven points during the third quarter closing run. Gisella Maul posted a career-high nine rebounds and Mjracle Sheppard tied her career high with seven boards.
The Crimson took a five-point lead in the first quarter, but Walker kept Cal in the game posting eight points in the opening stanza. The Bears would end up going into the second half down just 18-15.
Twidale dished out back-to-back assists to Lola Donez for a triple and to Walker for a cutting layup to tie the game at 24-24 with 5:29 to go in the second quarter. Morris hit a 3-pointer on the Bears' next possession to give Cal the lead back and the Bears ended the quarter hitting 3-of-4 from the field to take a 37-35 lead into the break.
In the third quarter, Harvard used a 10-0 run to take a 45-39 lead with just under six minutes to go. The Bears recaptured the lead after Ojukwu made a layup followed by an offensive rebound putback and Twidale scored seven points including a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to power the 16-3 run that closed the quarter and gave Cal a 57-50 lead going into the final frame.
Consecutive triples from Morris and Taylor Barnes early in the fourth quarter capped a 7-0 run and gave Cal its biggest lead of the game at 62-54 to keep Harvard at bay. The Crimson would only get within eight points the rest of the way as Cal was able to maintain control over the rest of the quarter and secure the win.
"I'm glad we were able to get a win and win our tournament," Cal head coach Charmin Smith said. "That's really important to us. I have a lot of respect for Harvard and they're a really good team. We had to play well. We had to be consistent and really good defensively and I'm glad we were able to do that. We finally got some touches inside for our bigs and letting our posts eat as we say is important. We have to have an inside presence because then it makes it easier for our perimeter scorers. So getting Sakima and Naya some touches was a big difference maker."
Harvard was led by Abigail Wright's 23 points and seven rebounds.
All-Tournament Team
Puff Morris (MVP)
Sakima Walker
Karlee White (Harvard)
Filippa Goula (Oakland)
Zoe Best (Charlotte)
NEXT UP
Cal continues its homestand taking on Saint Mary's on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. PT.
