BERKELEY – In a game where the California women's basketball team (6-1) had a two-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Golden Bears went cold when it mattered the most, scoring just five points in the fourth and falling to Texas A&M (5-1), 65-51, in the championship game of the Raising The B.A.R. Invitational Saturday afternoon at Haas Pavilion. Cal shot just 25.0% from the field and 25.8% from beyond the arc for the game and played without guards Ioanna Krimili and Mia Mastrov who both missed the game due to injuries.
 
Marta Suárez notched her second consecutive double-double with a game-high 12 points and 10 rebounds on her way to being named to the All-Tournament Team. McKayla Williams tied her career-high with 12 rebounds, Kemery Martín also scored 12 points and Leilani McIntosh tied her season best with a game-high eight assists.  
 
"I think we had opportunities and chances that we didn't capitalize on," Cal head coach Charmin Smith said. "We shot a really poor percentage from the field and I think a lot of those were shots that we could have and should have made. Texas A&M did a good job of capitalizing off of those missed opportunities on our end and converting on their end and sticking with it. They grinded it out and then took a hold in the fourth quarter. We'll learn from this. We've been kind of getting away with some things and some lopsided games and it's good for us to have this and we'll get better from it."
 
Suárez opened the scoring for the Bears in the first quarter, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers within the first two minutes of the game. The game went back and forth until Martín hit a 3-pointer at the 1:54 mark to spark a 7-0 run to end the quarter and give Cal a 22-16 lead heading into the second.
 
Cal went cold in the second quarter, not hitting a field goal until Lulu Laditan-Twidale hit a 3-pointer to give the Bears a one-point lead with two minutes to go until the half. The Aggies then converted on three consecutive field goals before Twidale hit another 3-pointer with under a minute to go the tie the game at 34-34 at the half.
 
Martín hit a 3-pointer to give Cal a five-point lead with 8:12 to go in the third quarter, but that would mark the team's biggest lead from that point on. The game was extremely tight for the rest of the quarter and Martín sank another 3-pointer followed by a McIntosh free throw to give the Bears a two-point lead heading into the final quarter.
 
In the fourth, Texas A&M opened with a 12-1 run to build a nine-point lead at the 5:03 mark. On the Bears' next possession, McIntosh got fouled on a 3-point attempt but was only able to convert 2-of-3 from the line and that was as close as Cal got.
 
"I thought we could have fought harder and I want even more," Smith said. "I'm not satisfied because I know what our potential is. And I know we can do better than this. But I'm proud of how we stuck together and I know that we will respond and be better on Saturday."
 
Cal outrebounded Texas A&M 48-42 including a 22-13 edge on the offensive end.
 
The Aggies were led by Endyiah Rogers' 10 points and five assists and Janiah Barker who had 10 points and five rebounds. Rogers was named the Tournament MVP while Barker was named to the All-Tournament Team.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Endyiah Rogers, Texas A&M – MVP
Janiah Barker, Texas A&M
Marta Suárez, California
Jyah Lovett, San Jose State
Leonor Paisana, Winthrop
 
NEXT UP
Cal stays home to take on Saint Mary's on Dec. 2 at 12 p.m. PT
 
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