California
Lehigh
12/9/2016 11:35 PM | Women's Basketball
BERKELEY - Coming off an historic night Thursday at Haas Pavilion, the California women's basketball team looks to protect its perfect record, hosting Lehigh at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 11. At 8-0, the Golden Bears are off to the best start in program history, setting the record Thursday against Sacramento State as sophomore forward Kristine Anigwe erupted for the first 50-point performance in school history.
Sunday's game is the third meeting all-time between the Bears and Mountain Hawks, with Cal winning each of the previous two meetings. These teams last squared off on November 9, 2012 as the Bears opened the 2012-13 campaign with an 80-48 victory over Lehigh at Haas Pavilion. Cal went on the reach the Final Four that season.
This year's team is once again paced by Anigwe, the sophomore leading the Bears in both scoring (23.3 PPG) and rebounding (9.5 RPG). Sophomore Asha Thomas ranks fifth in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (56.7 percent; 17-30) while senior Courtney Range, second on the team in both scoring and rebounding, is expected to play in her 100th career game on Sunday.
Lehigh is 5-5 on the season, coming off back-to-back losses to Villanova and Rider. The Mountain Hawks started the season 4-1 and are led by Oakland native Quinci Mann. The junior guard is averaging 17 points per game on the season.
Cal's final home game of the 2016 calendar year, the Bears will be honoring the late Tennessee Lady Vols Head Coach Pat Summit at Sunday's game by raising awareness for The Pat Summitt Foundation and Alzheimer's disease. The all-time wins leader in Division I basketball with 1,098 career victories, Summitt won eight NCAA titles at Tennessee and passed away this summer at the age of 64.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Tickets to Sunday's game can be purchased by calling 1-800-GO-BEARS (462-3277) or visiting the CalBears.com ticket page. Sunday's game also features a toy drive and fans can bring an unwrapped, new toy to Haas Pavilion on Sunday to receive a $1 ticket. 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 MOUNTAIN HAWKS
Lehigh is 5-5 on the season, coming off a 75-68 home loss to Rider on Thursday. The Mountain Hawks started the season 4-1, with victories over East Stroudsburg, Delaware State, Sacred Heart, and Mount St. Mary's, but have since lost four of their last five. Oakland native Quinci Mann leads the Mountain Hawks in scoring this season. The junior guard and St. Ignatius Prep graduate is averaging 17.0 points per game.
Lehigh returns two starters and seven letterwinners from last season's squad that went 18-13. Head Coach Sue Troyan is in her 22nd season as head coach of the Mountain Hawks and is the program's all-time wins leader.
Cal and Lehigh have a common opponent this season in Duquesne. The Bears beat the Dukes 86-66 in the championship game of the Cal Classic while Lehigh lost to Duquesne 63-49 on Nov. 13.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bears improved to 8-0 and set a program record for the best to start a season, beating Sacramento State 97-73 on Thursday night at Haas Pavilion. Cal set season-highs in points (96), assists (29), rebounds (61), field goals (40), and field-goal attempts (70) in the win over the Hornets.
But the night belonged to sophomore forward Kristine Anigwe, who scored 50 points, the most by any player - man or woman – in school history and tying the Pac-12 Single-Game record (USC's Cherie Nelson in 1989). Anigwe tied Cal's single-game record with 19 made field goals and shot 82.6 percent (19-23) from the field while playing only 24 minutes. Anigwe is the only player since 2000 to scored 50 or more points in a game in which she played fewer than 35 minutes. The Phoenix product added a season-high 14 rebounds – one shy of her career high – for her fifth double-double of the season and the 19th of her career.
Fellow sophomores Mo Mosley and Chen Yue also had career nights. Mosley scored 11 points and dished out four assists while Yue finished with eight points and eight rebounds, both personal bests.
NEXT UP
The Bears will wrap up their non-conference slate in Las Vegas, playing in the Puerto Rico Classic hosted at the South Point Arena. Cal will face Southern Miss on Monday, Dec. 19, followed by tilts against Oklahoma (Dec. 20), and Arkansas State (Dec. 21).
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.
REBOUNDS FOR RAMA
Rama N'diaye, a member of the Cal Women's Basketball team from 2006-2011, was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer this past July at the young age of 29. As a result of the side effects of her treatments, Rama has not been able to consistently work and therefore has sustained significant financial hardship.
It is our goal as a Cal Family to help support Rama in her fight against Breast Cancer emotionally, spiritually and financially. We've introduced Rebound for Rama to allow our extended Cal Family to participate in that end goal, once again proving that our support extends well beyond the hardwood. Donations may be made based on the number of total rebounds that the current Cal team secures over the course of this season or as a flat rate.
Visit www.pledgeit.org/ReboundsForRama to learn about Rama's fight and please consider joining us in this effort.
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).
