TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The California women's basketball team used an impressive defensive showing and an outstanding shooting performance from
Leilani McIntosh to improve to 5-0 and dominate Florida A&M in a 76-38 win at the Al Lawson Center on Monday afternoon.
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Cal held the Rattlers to just 24.6% shooting from the field and 2-of-9 from beyond the 3-point arc.
"I'm happy that we got a road sweep," Cal head coach
Charmin Smith said. "It's been a while since we swept two games on the road so it's good to get the two wins and come back 5-0. I think we lacked intensity and focus in this one and we could have been a lot sharper with our play, but happy that we got the win."
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McIntosh powered the Bears' offense with career-highs of 25 points and five 3-pointers. After pulling down a career-high 19 rebounds against Auburn, Michelle Onyiah once again dominated the glass, pulling down 18 boards to go along with three blocks. Lulu Twidale put in a career-high three 3-pointers.
"This is what I expect from her [McIntosh]," Smith said. "She's been shooting the ball well these last two games as we really needed her to and just being a floor general and leading us. So I'm very pleased with her play and hoping that it can stay consistent as we move deeper into nonconference action."
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Cal used a 7-0 run in the first quarter, fueled by a McIntosh 3-pointer and steal and score to take an early 14-7 lead. She sank a pair of free throws at the end of the quarter to finish with nine points and give the Bears a 10-point advantage heading into the second quarter. Onyiah pulled down six rebounds in the quarter.
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Twidale hit her third 3-pointer of the game with two minutes to go in the second quarter and a
McKayla Williams layup followed by a free throw from Marta Suarez capped a 7-0 run to end the half with the Bears up by 17 points.
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Better shooting in the third quarter allowed Cal to bust the game wide open as Suarez and McIntosh combined for three consecutive 3-pointers to fuel a 14-4 run and give Cal a 25-point lead at the 5:48 mark. Cal held Florida A&M to just 10 points in the quarter on 26.7% shooting while converting at a 45.5% clip.
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The Bears got up by as much as 40 points on a
Mia Mastrov layup in the fourth quarter and cruised to the win.
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Florida A&M was led by Ahriahna Grizzle's nine points and Hailee Brennen's five rebounds.
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NEXT UP
Cal returns home to host the Raising The B.A.R. Invitational which takes place this Friday-Saturday at Haas Pavilion. The Bears will face San Jose State in the first game of the tournament.
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