The California women’s basketball team is set to return to Haas Pavilion on Sunday for the first of a two-game homestand, facing San Jose State at 2 p.m. PT. The Golden Bears currently hold a 6-3 record and are looking to extend their five-game home winning streak as well as secure their 17th consecutive nonconference victory at Haas Pavilion, a run that began in the 2023-24 season.
Sunday’s game will also feature a community initiative, with Cal Athletics partnering with the Berkeley Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. to host a One Warm Coat Drive. Attendees are encouraged to bring gently worn coats to donate at the front lobby of Haas Pavilion.
This meeting marks the 37th time Cal and San Jose State have played each other since the series began in the 1975-76 season. Cal leads the series with a 26-10 advantage and has won three of the last four games against San Jose State, including last season’s contest where Lulu Twidale scored 14 points and made three three-pointers.
San Jose State enters Sunday’s matchup winless this season (0-7) under new head coach Jonas Chatterton. The Spartans’ roster includes six returning players and eight newcomers. Maya Anderson leads her team in scoring with an average of 12 points per game and is second in rebounding with six boards per game.
The game will be streamed live on ACCNX, featuring commentary from Dave Benz and Ashlee Jones.
In their most recent outing, Cal narrowly lost to Missouri by one point (68-67). Gisella Maul recorded her first career double-double with ten points and eleven rebounds. Mjracle Sheppard posted a career-high eighteen points while Sakima Walker blocked six shots, also marking a personal best. Five Bears reached double figures in scoring during that game: Sheppard, Walker (12), Twidale (11), Maul, and Taylor Barnes (10). Cal held Missouri—who had been averaging over eighty points per game—to its lowest scoring output of the season but lost after turning over an inbound pass in the final seconds.
Several players have shown strong performances early this season:
– Mjracle Sheppard has recorded at least two steals in six out of nine games.
– Sakima Walker has blocked multiple shots in six games so far.
– Lulu Twidale is close to moving up on Cal’s all-time list for three-pointers made.
– Gisella Maul is averaging more than five rebounds per game off the bench.
Cal has increased its average number of three-point field goals from just over four per game early in the season to eight per contest over its last six outings.
Fans can follow further updates about California women’s basketball through their official Twitter (@CalWBBall), Instagram (@CalWBBball), and Facebook (/CalWBBall/) accounts.
