Jan. 29, 2005

Final Stats

SEATTLE, Wash. - Junior forward Renee Wright scored a career-high 17 points in California's 80-76 loss at Washington Saturday afternoon at Bank of America Arena. The Golden Bears fell to 8-12 (2-9 Pac-10), while the Huskies improved to 9-12 (5-6).

Also in double-figures for the Bears were senior forward Leigh Gregory with 15 points, freshman center Jessica Lawson with 11, senior guard Kristin Iwanaga with 10 and sophomore center Emmelie Geraedts with a career high of 10.

With Washington leading 10-9 with 13:05 to play in the first half, Gregory converted a three-point play and Keanna Levy hit a pull-up jumper in the key to give the Bears a 14-10 lead.

The Huskies closed to within 16-15, but the Bears went on a 10-2 run capped by a three-point play by Wright to go ahead 26-17 with 6:05 left in the first half.

Washington briefly regained the lead at 29-28 following a basket from Maggie O'Hara, but the Bears went into the locker room up 34-31 on an offensive rebound and putback by Wright with 30 ticks remaining. Lawson paced Cal with nine first-half points, helping her team to a first-half lead for the fourth straight game.

Cal continued its hot first-half shooting, hitting 55.2 percent after the break, but Washington heated up from 40.0 percent to 68.0. Iwanaga sank a three-pointer on Cal's opening possession of the second half to extend the lead to 37-31.

The Bears built their biggest lead of the second half at 49-41 following four straight points from Wright with 13:06 remaining in the game. Two free throws from Wright two minutes later put Cal ahead 53-45.

Washington battled back to tie the game at 56-56 and briefly went ahead 59-58 on a trey from Brianne Watson with 7:18 left in the game. Iwanaga answered with her second three-pointer of the game.

Neither team led by more than two points for most of the rest of the game. The Bears pulled ahead with 4:03 to go at 71-69 on a layup from Geraedts.

Cameo Hicks scored on a fastbreak layup and Burt hit two free throws to give Washington a 75-71 lead with 1:29 on the clock. Cal closed the gap to 75-74 on a three-point play from Gregory with 31.4 left but couldn't get any closer.

Jill Bell led Washington with 17 points, including 13 second-half points. Watson posted 13 points, Burt had 12, and Hicks finished with 10.

Cal returns home to host Arizona State Thursday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. at Haas Pavilion.