Cal Women Are Competitive But Fall to 0-6 vs. Top-25 Opponents

The Bears were even vs. No. 24 Colorado with less than 6 minutes left in 73-66 defeat.

Another competitive game against a nationally ranked opponent.

Another disappointing defeat for the Cal women’s basketball team.

The Bears, tied at 54-all against No. 24 Colorado with less than 6 minutes left, were outscored 13-3 over the next four-plus minutes and absorbed a 73-66 loss at Haas Pavilion on Friday.

Cal (10-8, 1-6 Pac-12) is now 0-6 vs. Top-25 opponents this season and has lost its past 13 games against ranked foes. The Bears’ most recent win over an AP Top-25 opponent was a 55-54 win at Arizona on March 1, 2020.

“We’re battling, competing. It’s tough not coming away with the win against these Pac-12 opponents,” Cal coach Charmin Smith said. “We have to stay the course and get ready for a top-10 team on Sunday (vs.) Utah.”

Cal takes on the No. 8 Utes at Haas on Sunday at 4 p.m. The Utes (15-1, 5-1) were set to play at No. 4 Stanford (17-2, 5-1) later on Friday.

This one had a familiar plot.

Five of the Bears’ six defeats to ranked teams this year were tight games into the fourth quarter:

— Cal trailed by just three points in the fourth quarter in a 90-79 loss to No. 9 Notre Dame

— The Bears were tied in the final period before losing 63-56 to No. 18 Arizona

— Cal had a three-point lead with 4 minutes before succumbing 60-56 to No. 2 Stanford in the second meeting of the rivals this season

— Cal opened its game at UCLA last Sunday with a 15-2 burst out of the starting blocks and trailed by just two points in the final quarter, but lost 87-70

“I think at this point we’re just frustrated,” Smith said. “We are better. I think it’s tough with 18 to 22, 23, 24-year-olds to help them understand that it doesn’t always feel the way you want it to feel, even when you’re having progress and growing.

“That’s why they call it growing pains. This is painful for us. But as I continue to say to them every time, even when I’m really angry, I don’t want to be coaching any other group. I believe in this group and I know we have it in us.

“We have to be patient, we have to be hungry. When it doesn’t go out way, we’ve just got to stay the course.”

Colorado (15-3, 6-1) remains tied atop the Pac-12 standings after winning for the eighth straight game and beating the Bears for the sixth time in a row. The Buffaloes own wins over No. 8 Utah and No. 14 Arizona.

But Cal was positioned to pull off the upset and drew even for the final time at 54-54 when Evelien Lutje Schipholt scored in the lane with 5:47 left.

The Bears converted just once more over the next 4 1/2 minutes as the Buffaloes took control. Kemery Martin’s 3-pointer with 3:18 left briefly stopped the bleeding but forward Quay Miller — who scored a career-high 26 points — answered with a 3-pointer and two free throws for a 67-57 CU lead with 1:39 left.

Cal scored nine points in the final 1:02 but got no closer than five points the rest of the way.

Bottom line: Colorado shot 9 for 11 from the field in the fourth quarter and made all 10 of its free throws, scoring 30 points in 10 minutes when the game on the line. The Bears could not keep up.

“It’s really hard not to be upset and frustrated,” Schipholt, who led the Bears with 17 points, says in the video above. “But we have to find the positives in it and hang on to those and pour your energy into those. And from that, grow and be better every single day. I think today was better than last game. As long as we make progressions like that, our day will come.”

Jayda Curry scored 13 for the Bears, including three 3-point baskets. The sophomore guard now has made at least one 3-pointer in 40 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in Pac-12 history. USC’s Shay Murphy set the record of 45 straight from 2005-07.

Leilani McIntosh had 12 points and six assists for the Bears and Martin scored nine points.

Guard Jaylynn Sherrod had 15 points, including 6-for-6 at the foul line, for the Buffs and Aaronette Vonleh contributed 13 points and eight rebounds before fouling out with a minute left.

Cover photo of Cal guard Jayda Curry petting Ghost, coach Charmin Smith's dog, during the post-game interview session.

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo