BERKELEY – The California women's basketball team overcame a slow start to run away with a 69-44 win over Charlotte on Saturday afternoon at Haas Pavilion and advanced to tomorrow's championship game of the Raising the B.A.R. Invitational set for 7:30 p.m. PT. The Golden Bears (3-1) held the 49ers (2-3) to just 32.1% from the field and just two 3-pointers for the game. After shooting just 27.6% from the field in the first half, the Bears got hot in the second shooting 59.3% from the field and 72.7% from deep and outscored Charlotte 47-22.  
 
Freshman Puff Morris had her best outing as a Bear contributing in all aspects of the game finishing with season highs of 17 points (including 5-of-10 from distance), six assists and eight rebounds. The five triples were the most by a Cal freshman since current Bear Lulu Twidale hit six against Arizona on Feb. 25, 2024.
 
Mjracle Sheppard contributed 16 points to tie her career high (including a career-high three 3-pointers) and added six rebounds and five steals – just two off her career high. Taylor Barnes finished with double-figure points for the third time this season with 13 points while adding six rebounds.
 
Morris and Sheppard combined for eight of Cal's 12 3-pointers for the game – its single-game total this season.
 
Charlotte led for the whole first quarter and held a six-point lead with 7:25 remaining in the second before a trio of consecutive triples from Gisella Maul, Morris and Barnes gave Cal its first lead of the game at 22-19. The 49ers were able to knock in a 3-pointer to end Cal's run with 2:32 left in the half and both teams went scoreless the rest of the way to keep the score tied at the half.
 
After the 49ers took a two-point lead at the 8:48 mark of the third quarter, Sheppard and Morris nailed consecutive 3-pointers to give Cal a lead it would not give up for the rest of the game. Later in the quarter, Sheppard would score five unanswered to give the Bears 46-35 lead with 1:42 left in the quarter. Cal kept the lead at double-digits for the remainder of the game. Maul stole the ball and took it the distance to put Cal up 20 late in the game – part of a 12-0 run to end the game.
 
The 44 points were the fewest the Bears have given up this season and marks the third straight game holding an opponent to 52 points or less. Cal has now won 14 straight regular season nonconference games dating back to the 2024-25 season.
 
Charlotte was led by Zoe Best's 10 points and Tanajah Hayes' seven assists.
 
"I'm really proud of how we keep fighting, we're a resilient group," Cal head coach Charmin Smith said. "We were down again to start the game and found a way to pull ahead. I know we need to be better and I'm trying to gain confidence in the good things that we're doing. I loved our second half."
 
NEXT UP
Cal plays the winner of Harvard/Oakland in the Raising The B.A.R. championship game tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. PT at Haas Pavilion.
 
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