The California Golden Bears women’s basketball team narrowly lost to Duke University 78-74 in a closely contested game at Haas Pavilion on Thursday. The match included 13 ties and 10 lead changes, with the outcome undecided until the final minute.
California (9-8, 0-4) finished the third quarter strong, closing on an 11-0 run that gave them a 10-point advantage heading into the fourth. However, Duke (10-6, 5-0) responded by opening the final period with a 7-0 run to close the gap. This defeat was Cal’s first home loss of the season and only their second since the start of the previous season.
Two Cal players recorded double-doubles for the first time this year. Gisella Maul had her second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Naya Ojukwu achieved her first in a Cal uniform, scoring 14 points and collecting 10 rebounds while making eight out of eleven free throws. Sakima Walker led all Cal scorers with 18 points, while Taylor Barnes contributed nine points and eight rebounds.
Cal trailed by eight early in the third quarter before Mjracle Sheppard assisted Lulu Twidale for a layup-and-one play that started an 11-1 run. This sequence ended with Walker giving Cal a one-point lead. Later in the quarter, Sheppard scored on another three-point play to spark an additional run capped by Twidale’s three-pointer and three free throws from Barnes, extending Cal’s lead to ten at quarter’s end.
Duke rallied in the fourth as Delaney Thomas completed a three-point play with just over three minutes left to put Duke ahead by one point. With less than two minutes remaining and trailing by three, Ojukwu made a turnaround jumper to bring Cal within one possession. Despite getting a defensive stop afterward, Cal turned over possession on their next trip down court. After fouling Duke, California allowed an offensive rebound off a missed free throw which resulted in a putback basket that sealed Duke’s win.
In earlier action, Duke built an eight-point cushion midway through the second quarter before six consecutive points from Walker helped cut into their lead. Barnes tied it late in the half before Ashlon Jackson hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer for Duke.
“We’re playing with every team in the country,” said Cal head coach Charmin Smith. “We’re a really good team, and it’s unfortunate that we haven’t been able to pull out the win, but we’re right there and we have to eliminate mistakes in order to get over the hump. We make some mistakes that cost us. We were down three at halftime because we made some mistakes in shooting early and allowing them to get a last possession.”
Delaney Thomas and Arianna Roberson led Duke with twenty points each.
Cal will host Wake Forest on Sunday at Haas Pavilion.
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