BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) Cal (10-8, 1-6) overcame a 10-point deficit in the first half and used a strong defensive third quarter to take a three-point lead heading into the final frame but was unable to hold on, falling just short to No. 24 Colorado (15-3, 6-1) 73-66 Friday afternoon at Haas Pavilion.
 
Evelien Lutje Schipholt scored 17 points for Cal with Jayda Curry and Leilani McIntosh adding 13 and 12 points respectively. The Bears finished with a season-high 10 3-pointers, the most since they hit 10 from deep in a game against Cal Poly on December 18, 2021. Kemery Martín and Curry had three each to maintain their position among the top 10 in the Pac-12 for 3-point makes this season.
 
"I thought we were battling and competing but it's tough not coming away with the win against these Pac-12 opponents," Cal head coach Charmin Smith said. "We just have to stay the course and get ready for a top 10 team on Sunday in Utah."
 
Quay Miller had 26 points, Jaylyn Sherrod scored 11 of her 15 points in the fourth quarter as Colorado earned its seventh straight victory.
 
Aaronette Vonleh gave Colorado a seven-point lead in the beginning of the third quarter, but the Buffaloes went scoreless for the next four minutes as Cal tied it at 36-all. Colorado was held to nine points on 4-of-11 shooting in the third quarter but made 9-of-11 in the fourth in scoring 30 points. A 3-point buzzer beater from Martín gave the Bears the three-point lead heading into the fourth.
 
Sherrod's 3-pointer with 2:58 left in the fourth gave Colorado a 67-57 lead. The Buffaloes didn't make another field goal the rest of the way but went 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. A layup from Lutje Schipholt tied the game at the 5:44 mark, but Colorado went on a 12-3 run the rest of the way to seal the victory.
 
Curry added to her streak of consecutive regular-season games with a made 3-pointer, bringing the total to 40 games, just five games away from tying the Pac-12's all-time mark of 45 games by former USC Trojan Shay Murphy. Her streak is currently second all-time.
 
Vonleh finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for Colorado. Sherrod, who leads the conference in assists with 5.5 per game, had three of Colorado's 13 assists on 26 baskets.
 
Miller scored 11 of Colorado's opening 16 points and she finished the half with 14 points as the Buffaloes led 34-29. California stayed within reach by making 5-of-10 3-pointers.
 
Colorado jumped into the AP Top 25 poll after beating consecutive top-15 opponents. The Buffaloes continue their road trip at No. 4 Stanford on Sunday.
 
UP NEXT
Cal: Stays home to take on No. 8 Utah on Sunday at 4 p.m.
 
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