California Golden Bears Athletics
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Bears Face San Francisco in Cal Classic
11/23/2016 12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BERKELEY - The California women's basketball team looks to improve to 5-0 season, facing off against cross-bay rival San Francisco on Friday at 1 p.m. in the opening game of the Cal Classic. The second game between Western Carolina and Duquesne will tip off at 3:15 p.m. in the 38th edition of the tournament hosted at Haas Pavilion.
Friday's game is the 35th meeting overall between Cal and San Francisco, but the first between the teams in almost fifteen years. The Bears lead the overall series, 25-9.
Cal is off to a 4-0 start for the third consecutive season. The Bears are coming off an 86-63 win over CSU Bakersfield on Sunday, in which five different players scored in double-figures. Sophomore Kristine Anigwe leads the Bears in both scoring (20.5 PPG) and rebounding (9.8 RPG) this season, and has a double-double in each of her last three games. Junior Mikayla Cowling is second on the team in both scoring (14.5 PPG) and rebounding (6.8 RPG) and has dished out five or more assists in every game this year.
San Francisco is 3-1 on the season, coming off a 73-71 win over Long Beach State on Sunday. The Dons reached the NCAA Tournament last year for the first time since 1997, winning the WCC Tournament as the No. 6 seed to clinch an automatic berth. San Francisco lost to Stanford in the 1st Round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament, 85-58. Senior Rachel Howard - a Berkeley native - leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Tickets to Sunday's s game can be purchased by calling 1-800-GO-BEARS (462-3277) or visiting the CalBears.com ticket page. Those fans unable to attend in person can follow along via live stats, live stream, or on twitter at @CalWBBall for updates throughout the game.
A LOOK AT THE DONS
San Francisco is coming off one of the most successful seasons in recent history, reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1997 after winning the WCC Tournament as a No. 6 seed. The Dons are 3-1 to start the season, with wins over Sacramento State, Seattle, and Long Beach. San Francisco's lone loss of the season came on November 18, falling 73-35 to Washington State on the road.
Head coach Molly Goodenbour, a two-time national champion as a player at Stanford, is in her first season at San Francisco, though the Dons return three starters and 10 letterwinners from last season's squad. Senior Rachel Howard - an All-WCC Honorable Mention last season and graduate of Berkeley High School - leads the Dons in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game. Junior Michaela Rakova is second on the team in scoring (11.8 PPG) and leads the Dons in rebounding (6.3 RPG).
LAST TIME OUT
Cal had five different players score in double-figures as the Bears defeated CSU Bakersfield 86-63, on Sunday afternoon at Haas Pavilion. The 23-point victory was Cal's largest of the year and got the Bears off to a 4-0 start for the third consecutive season. Kristine Anigwe led the way with 23 points and 11 rebounds, her third consecutive game with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, and her sixth double-double in her last seven games while Bakersfield freshman Aja Williams led all scorers with 35 points, going 9-17 from beyond the arc. Cal matched its season-high with 40 points in the paint, outscoring the Roadrunners 40-14 in the interior.
It was a breakout game for Cal freshman Mi'Cole Cayton. Cayton – who entered the game with just eight career points – was automatic from beyond the arc, going 3-3 from three-point range to finish with a career-best 13 points in 25 minutes off the bench. Mikayla Cowling added three triples of her own, going 3-7 from downtown to finish with 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. The junior from Benicia, California has posted at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists in each of her last three games.
NEXT UP
The Bears will wrap up their five-game homestand on Saturday, taking on either Western Carolina or Duquesne on the final day of the Cal Classic. The consolation game will be held at 1 p.m., followed by the championship game at 3:15. The Bears have won four of the last five Cal Classics. The All-Tournament Team and MVP will be awarded at the conclusion of Saturday's championship game.
Following the Cal Classic, the Bears will play their first game outside of the state of California, visiting Nebraska on December 4 (1 p.m. PT). Five of Cal's seven games in the month of December will be played away from home.
2016-17 TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW
Season, group and single-game tickets for the 2016-17 women's basketball season are now on sale. Season tickets start as low as $25 ($1.47 per game, 17 games) for youth and seniors and $75 ($4.41 per game, 17 games) for adult general admission tickets. Single-game tickets are available starting at $5 for youth and seniors and $8 for adults, while flex and partial plans are also available purchase. For more information, call the Gold Standard Sales and Service line at (800) GO BEARS (462-3277) or visit the CalBears.com ticket page.
JOIN THE JOURNEY: THE RETURN OF THISISCALBASKETBALL.COM
Cal's one-of-a-kind multimedia fan site, ThisIsCalBasketball.com, is back for its sixth season and once again features an unprecedented look into the inner workings of the personalities behind the Cal women's basketball's roster. Visitors to ThisIsCalBasketball.com can get an in-depth look at the personalities behind the jerseys, from action and portrait photos to bio videos and conversations between current players and alumnae.
STAY POSTED
Keep up-to-date on the latest Cal women's basketball news by following the Bears on social media. View behind-the-scenes photos and videos and learn more about Cal and its student-athletes on Twitter (@CalWBball), Instagram (@CalWBball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/CalWBball).
