Cal Set To Battle Arizona - California Golden Bears Athletics

BERKELEY – The California women's basketball team heads to the desert to take on the Arizona schools this week, starting with Arizona on Friday at 6 p.m. PT at the McKale Memorial Center in Tucson.

This game marks the 75th all-time meeting between the programs in a series that dates back to the 1978-79 season, with Cal (13-6, 3-4 Pac-12) owning a 38-36 series lead. The Wildcats have won the last five matchups with the Bears' last win coming in a 55-54 victory at Arizona on March 1, 2020.

Arizona (10-9, 2-5) is led by eighth-year head coach Adia Barnes who led the program to its tenth NCAA Tournament berth and its fifth 20-win season in as many years in 2022-23. The Wildcats return five players from last year's team, including Kailyn Gilbert, who leads the team in scoring (16.7 points per game), and Helena Pueyo, who ranks 11th nationally in steals (57).

The Wildcats won both head-to-head meetings last year. In the most recent matchup on Feb. 12, 2023, then-No. 18 Arizona got ahead by as many 24 points in the third quarter, but the Bears battled back with a 15-0 fourth-quarter run to get within seven points with five minutes to go, but were ultimately unable to complete the comeback.

Friday's game will air on Pac-12 Arizona with Daron Sutton and Charli Turner Thorne on the call.

GAME INFORMATION
Date & Time: Friday, Jan. 26 | 6 p.m. PT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Live Stream: Pac-12 Arizona

QUICK HITS

In the win against Oregon (Jan. 21):
- Ioanna Krimili had her second consecutive game with at least 20 points and five 3-pointers, scoring a game- and season-high 24 points.
- Leilani McIntosh continued her ascent in Cal's record book, moving into fourth place on the all-time assists list (487), passing Asha Thomas, and seventh on the all-time steals list (206), passing Laura Baker.
- Marta Suárez posted her sixth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
- McKayla Williams grabbed 10 rebounds.
- Cal hoisted a program-record 39 3-point attempts.
- The Bears brought down 22 offensive rebounds, which led to 24 second-chance points.
At 13-6, Cal is off to its best start in the Charmin Smith era and since the 2018-19 season (also started 13-6). The 13 wins have also already tied for the most under Smith (13-17 last season).
Cal is 11-1 when scoring at least 70 points.

Player Notes

Krimili is one of just two active players in the country with career averages of at least 17.0 points per game and 39% shooting from 3-point range over at least three seasons. The other is UConn's Paige Bueckers.
Krimili has scored in double figures in all 10 games played this season and hit multiple 3-pointers in seven of them. She leads the Pac-12 during conference play in 3PM (21) and is currently third (behind Caitlyn Clark, Iowa and Abby Hsu, Colombia) among all active players in the country for career 3-pointers made per game (2.8) and eighth for total 3PM (305).
Krimili is tied for second among all active players in the country for most career games with at least five 3PM (22).
- Caitlyn Clark, Iowa – 35
- Ioanna Krimili – 22
- Abby Hsu, Columbia – 22
- Sara Scalia, Indiana – 20
- Hannah Jump, Stanford - 19
Krimili is just 50 points away from the 2,000-point club, a milestone only 13 active players in the country have achieved.
Williams' 6.7 rebounds per game average is second on the team and ranks third among all guards in the Pac-12 and 15th overall. Her 41 offensive rebounds lead all guards in the Pac-12.
Michelle Onyiah has been effective on the glass when she has been on the floor. While averaging just 18.1 minutes per game, she ranks 18th in the Pac-12 in rebounding (6.4). She is one of only two non-starters in the top 20.
Suárez's versatility at the forward position has been on display all year as her 25 made 3-pointers rank third in the Pac-12 and 33rd in the country among all forwards.
McIntosh is on pace to average her most assists per game for a season. Her 5.5 assists per game rank second in the Pac-12 and 18th in the country.
McIntosh is just 56 points away from joining the 1,000-point club.
McIntosh is 1 of 4 players in the nation to average at least 10 PPG, 5.5 APG, 1.9 SPG and shoot 40.0% from 3-point range. She is also 1 of 8 players in the country with at least 105 assists and 35 steals.
McIntosh is 1 of 2 players in the Pac-12 to rank in the top 11 in both assists and 3PM and is the only one shooting 40% from deep.

Team Notes

The Bears have secured 20+ offensive rebounds in five games this season – the most of any Pac-12 team. The next closest team is Washington with two.
The Bears are giving up 63.4 points per game, the lowest total since the 2014-15 season when they gave up 62.6 points per game.
Four or more different players scored in double figures in seven games this season, a significant improvement from last season when four players scored in double figures just four times all season.
Three Bears rank in the top 15 in total rebounds in the Pac-12 - more than any other school. Suarez (9th: 131), Williams (11th: 128) and Onyiah (13th: 121).
The Bears have had 10 or more steals in eight games this season, eclipsing their total (2) from all of last year.
The Bears have hit 10 or more 3-pointers in seven games, surpassing last year's total in which they hit double-figure 3-pointers in just one game.

Pac-12 Leaders as of Jan. 23:

Assists per game - McIntosh, 2nd (5.5)
Steals per game – McIntosh, 9th (1.9)
Total rebounds – Suarez, 9th (131); Williams, 11th (128) and Onyiah, 13th (121)
3PM per game – Suarez, 14th (1.5)
Cal 3PM – 2nd (156)

NEXT UP
Cal stays on the road to take on Arizona State Sunday at 11 a.m. PT.

STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Cal women's basketball, follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalWBBall), Instagram (@CalWBBball) and Facebook (/CalWBBall/).

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Players Mentioned

Ioanna Krimili

Leilani McIntosh

McKayla Williams

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