BERKELEY – After Grambling State got within 10 points in the third quarter, the trio of Ioanna Krimili, Marta Suárez and Lulu Twidale got hot hitting a combined six 3-pointers in a span of about four minutes to blow the game open and help the California women's basketball team earn an 86-63 win over the visiting Tigers (2-3) on Wednesday night at Haas Pavilion. The Golden Bears (5-0) topped 80 points for the fifth straight game to open a season – first time in program history. This is also the second straight year the Bears have opened the season with five straight wins.
 
Krimili, Suarez and Twidale combined for 11 of the team's 12 3-pointers, marking the fourth game this season Cal has hit 10+ triples in a game. Freshman Gabrielle Abigor added a career-high 11 points while Natalia Ackerman and Jayda Noble came through on the glass pulling down seven and six rebounds respectively. Cal held Grambling State to just one made 3-pointer – a season low for an opponent.
 
Krimili and Twidale drilled three and four 3-pointers respectively to remain the country's only duo in the top 25 nationally for made triples.
 
Grambling State made its first four field goals to take an early 9-4 lead which was aided by four Cal turnovers, but consecutive 3-pointers from Twidale and Suarez gave the Bears their first lead at 16-15 with 1:30 to go in the quarter. The Bears converted five free throws and Kayla Williams went coast-to-coast with 10 seconds left and made a layup at the buzzer, her third buzzer beater of the season, to cap a 13-2 run and put Cal up 24-17 going into the second quarter.
 
Krimili found Abigor on a pick and roll for Cal's first points of the second quarter at the 5:32 mark that started an 8-0 run which included Cal forcing six Tiger turnovers. The Bears held Grambling State to just three field goals over the last 8:51 of the quarter to take a 43-28 lead into the break.
 
After Krimili nailed a triple to open the scoring for Cal in the third quarter, the Tigers went on a 6-0 run to get within 10 points. The Bears responded with a 21-6 run on seven 3-pointers including one from freshman Lola Donez for her first career bucket to put Cal up 67-41 with 4:21 left in the quarter.
 
Eight different Bears registered at least one assist and Cal went to the line a season-high 30 times. Twidale paced the Bears in scoring with 19 points while Suárez added 16 points with three triples and Krimili tossed in 15.
 
Grambling State was led by Kahia Warmsley's 16 points.
 
NEXT UP
Cal stays home to host Auburn on Friday at 6 p.m. PT at Haas Pavilion.
 
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