BERKELEY — There was no actual drama when it comes to whether or not Cal was going to be a part of the 68-team area for the NCAA Ladies’s Basketball Event. The Bears knew they have been in, so that they invited a couple of hundred of their closest mates and supporters to share within the enjoyable.
Cal hosted a watch get together on the Subject Membership in Memorial Stadium on Sunday. There was a grasp of ceremonies, a DJ, the Straw Hat Band, members of the family, donors and college students. The choice present started at 5 p.m., with Cal not listening to its title known as till 5:47 when the Bears (25-8) have been introduced because the No. 8 seed and can face No. 9. Mississippi State (22-10) of the Southeastern Convention.
As a bonus, after turning into skilled cross nation flyers of their first 12 months within the Atlantic Coast Convention, Cal’s opener Saturday will probably be in Los Angeles at a time to be decided. USC (28-3) earned the No. 1 seed in Spokane Area 4 and can host a four-team pod that features Cal.
“We’re so glad we’re in L.A.,” ahead Marta Suarez mentioned. “We’re used to traveling but that doesn’t mean we wanted to do it.”
It will likely be Cal’s first NCAA Ladies’s Event recreation since 2019.
“Our sport is exploding right now,” Cal coach Charmin Smith mentioned. “We want to be part of that, be a part of that momentum. Having a winning season helps for that. If we finish strong in the NCAA Tournament next year I really expect to see students at Haas Pavilion.”
Taking part in an thrilling model of basketball that features a number of 3-point photographs and 5 starters that each one common in double figures, the Bears went went 12-6 within the ACC and completed robust after a February dip that included highway losses to Notre Dame and Louisville.
“We had our wishes and our dreams but all we kept saying is we know we’re in,” Smith mentioned. “We’re dancing. We’re excited. We got exactly what we thought we would get.”
Cal is led by All-ACC guard Ioanna Krimili from Herklion, Greece. A 5-foot-10 guard, she averaged 14.2 factors per recreation. Lulu Twidale, a 5-10 guard from Queensland, Australia, averaged 13.2 with Suarez from Oveido, Spain checking in at 13.2 factors and seven.3 rebounds as a 6-3 ahead. Veteran middle Michelle Onyiah averaged 12.2 factors and seven.4 rebounds and guard Kayla Williams tallied 11.3 factors and 4.0 assists per recreation.
The Bears have been clearly reveling within the expertise and broke into celebration when featured on the nationwide ESPN feed.
“It’s so cool,” Krimili mentioned. “All of our fans, they’ve been here since Day 1 and it’s a really good feeling. We all wanted this so bad.”
Cal set a faculty document this season with 294 3-point baskets, 124 greater than their opponents.
“They better guard the 3-point line. I think everybody knows that,” Smith mentioned. “This is a team that enjoys playing with each other and playing for Cal. We want to keep playing as long as we can. It’s a great opportunity.”
Mississippi State completed tenth within the SEC, dropping to Ole Miss within the league event to shut out the season.
Like Cal, the Bulldogs, coached by Sam Purcell, can stand up and down the ground, averaging 76.1 factors per recreation.
After the get together broke up, Cal coaches adjourned to their workplaces to start devouring Mississippi State tape.
“I know Sam’s a really good coach,” Smith mentioned. “I know his teams play hard. It’s an SEC opponent, it’s going to be a tough opponent for us. We have to get in the lab right now and figure it all out.”
Initially Printed: March 16, 2025 at 6:40 PM PDT
