GREENSBORO, N.C. — Cal gave sixth-ranked Notre Dame all it might deal with earlier than falling 73-64 within the quarterfinals of the ACC girls’s basketball match on Friday. However the Golden Bears’ season is way from over.
The Bears (25-8) must wait every week earlier than the Sunday, March 16 NCAA Match choice present, however Cal’s title shall be referred to as. It’ll be the Bears’ first look within the Huge Dance since 2019 and the primary below coach Charmin Smith.
ESPN’s Charlie Creme tasks the Bears to be a No. 8 seed within the NCAAs. Regardless of the loss to the Irish, 26-4 and the match’s defending champion, Cal did little if something to harm its match resume.
Smith argued the way in which the Bears competed Friday and all through the ACC season ought to assist their NCAA seed climb regardless of a NET rating of No. 37, equal to a No. 9 seed.
“I think hopefully people could see in this game how good we are and stop putting us on an 8/9 line and not giving us the respect that we deserve for beating teams like N.C. State and Florida State and being in this conference and traveling four trips across the country when no one else was doing that but Stanford,” she mentioned. “I think it’s crazy where our NET stands and where we are relative to other people who haven’t had to do what we have done.”
Cal opened its first ACC match by beating Virginia in Thursday’s second spherical, then practically avenged a 91-52 loss at South Bend final month. A win towards Notre Dame would have been Cal’s highest-ranked win since beating then-No. 5 Stanford on Jan. 13, 2013. It additionally would have given the Bears wins over three ranked groups in a season for the primary time since 2019-20.
Regardless of committing 28 turnovers, 19 within the first half, the Bears saved the rematch shut till the ultimate minutes.
Cal, the No. 7 seed within the ACC match, led second-seeded Notre Dame 47-41 halfway by means of the third quarter on the energy of a 14-3 run. However that lead vanished and the sport turned when the Irish answered with a 12-0 run of their very own.
Lulu Twidale led Cal with 16 factors, going 4-for-7 from 3-point vary. Marta Suarez and Kayla Williams every scored 14 factors, and Michelle Onyiah added 13 factors.
Suarez was 6-of-13 from the sphere and led the Bears with 11 rebounds but in addition had eight turnovers.
“Of course, if you’re the underdog, you’ve got to bring everything you have. You can’t be scared of mistakes,” Suarez mentioned. “I think that was our issue. We had too many turnovers. I had too many turnovers. We know that’s fixable. We had downfalls that we know we struggled with in the past, but definitely growth. We’re not done yet.”
After lauding Notre Dame’s protection, Smith mentioned she felt the Irish acquired the good thing about the officers’ whistle.
“I thought they were very physical and bumped us off of our line consistently throughout the game,” the sixth-year coach mentioned. “I wish we would have been able to have that same freedom to do the same thing to them. It didn’t feel as though we did.”
Cal heart Onyiah fouled out late and the Bears have been referred to as for 19 fouls to the Irish’s 17. Cal was 12-of-17 from the free-throw line, whereas Notre Dame was 11-of-15.
ACC participant of the yr Hannah Hidalgo led Notre Dame with 25 factors, making each of her 3-point makes an attempt.
The Combating Irish superior to Saturday’s semifinals to play the Louisville-Duke winner.
Initially Revealed: March 7, 2025 at 4:54 PM PST
