BERKELEY – Down 10 points with 2:54 remaining in the game, the California women's basketball team nearly completed the comeback using a late 9-0 run to get within one point and had a chance to tie or take the lead on the last possession of the game but ultimately fell short, 63-61, against Saint Joseph's at Haas Pavilion on Sunday afternoon in the second round of the WBIT. The Golden Bears (19-15) were led by Marta Suárez, who posted her seventh double-double of the season with 20 points and a career-high 13 rebounds against the Hawks (28-5).
 
Neither team led by more than two points in the first quarter until Saint Joseph's hit back-to-back triples to take a 14-9 lead with 3:44 left in the quarter. The Bears were able to stay in the game by hitting 4 of 6 field goals to end the quarter and were down just 20-17 heading into the second quarter.
 
After Cal tied the game at 20-20 early in the second quarter the Hawks went on a 9-0 run before Suárez ended it with a 3-pointer at the 3:56 mark. Saint Joseph's hit consecutive layups on its next three possessions to build a 12-point lead with three minutes to go. Ioanna Krimili nailed a triple and Lulu Twidale followed up with one of her own at the buzzer to cut the Bears' deficit to 35-29 going into the break. 
 
In the third quarter, Leilani McIntosh converted a 3-point play to get the Bears within three points at the 8:55 mark. The Hawks responded by hitting their next three field goals to go up 43-35 with 6:30 remaining. Twidale hit her second triple of the game at the 2:30 mark to get the Bears to within five points. The Bears headed into the final frame down 47-40.
 
Cal started the fourth quarter with four unanswered points to get within three at the 8:00 mark, but the Hawks responded with four of their own. Ila Lane scored four straight points to cut the Hawk's lead to 51-48 with 6:44 left. The Bears got down 10 points before responding with a 9-0 run capped by a Krimili 3-pointer with 47 seconds left. The Hawks scored a layup on their next possession, but Onyiah was able to score a layup to get the Bears back within one point with 23 seconds left. After Saint Joseph's converted two free throws Onyiah once again got Cal to within one point with a layup. The Hawks only hit one free throw on their next possession giving Cal a chance to tie or take the lead with 12 seconds left but the Bears were unable to make a shot at the buzzer.
 
Saint Joseph's was led by Laura Ziegler and Chloe Welch who had 19 points each.
 
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Cal women's basketball, follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalWBBall), Instagram (@CalWBBball) and Facebook (/CalWBBall/).