BERKELEY – The Cal women's basketball team was introduced to the toughest conference in the nation on Friday night in a heavyweight showdown that was decided in the final round.

The Bears fell behind early, battled back to take the lead in the final minutes only to succumb 67-64 to Washington in their Pac-12 opener at Haas Pavilion.

Freshman Jazlen Green, who sat out eight minutes of the second half after taking a hard fall on a rebound late in the third quarter, returned to drain a go-ahead 3-pointer to give the Bears (8-4, 0-1 Pac-12) a 62-61 lead with 1:28 to play. Fellow freshman Evelien Lutje Schipholt then blocked a shot at the other end, corralled the rebound and was fouled. She hit both ensuing free throws to give Cal a 64-61 lead with 1:01 remaining.

But the Bears ultimately couldn't stop Washington All-Pac-12 guard Amber Melgoza, who finished with a game-high 31 points. She nailed a 3-pointer with 1:01 to play to tie the game at 64-64 and followed up with a driving layup to give the Huskies (10-3, 2-0 Pac-12) the lead for good.

"This was a tough one," Cal first-year head coach Charmin Smith said. "Obviously, we're disappointed. I think we showed a ton of fight but we're still disappointed we couldn't come away with a win. At the end of the day, we got back in the game and took the lead but just couldn't finish it off."

The Huskies hurt the Bears early with a tenacious full-court press and a trapping zone defense that caused Cal to shoot just 25 percent from the floor and commit 10 turnovers. But after trailing 36-24 at halftime, the Bears began to slice into the deficit with a zone defense of their own and some inspired play by seniors Jaelyn Brown and CJ West.

Cal still trailed 50-40 with under two minutes to play in the third quarter but went on an 18-6 run to take a 57-56 lead with 5:09 left. The comeback was culminated by a 3-point play by senior Sara Anastasieska. The Huskies went back up 61-58 before Green and Lutje Schipholt strung together key plays to put the Bears back in front.

"They are a very good team and they pressure and trap very well, but I think we were rushing and playing really fast," said West, who finished with 12 points and four rebounds. "I don't think we were very patient."

After Melgoza gave Washington a 66-64 lead with 15 seconds remaining, Green got a good look at a 3-pointer but couldn't convert. The Huskies' Mai-Loni Henson made one of two free throws with six seconds left, and Green's potential game-tying 3-pointer was off the mark to end it.

Brown finished with 12 points and six rebounds, her fifth straight game scoring in double-figures and ninth in the past 10.

"We dug ourselves too big a hole in the first half and were unable to make enough shots and get enough stops down the stretch," Smith said.

The Bears are back on the Haas Pavilion floor Sunday when they host Washington State (7-7. 0-2 Pac-12) at Noon. The game will air on the Pac-12 Networks.