The California women's basketball team had a one-point lead with 10 seconds remaining, but turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds pass and Missouri scored on its next possession to come away with a 68-67 win on Thursday night at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. The Golden Bears (6-3) outshot the Tigers (8-2) 45.2% to 42.4% but were outscored at the free throw line 13-4.
 
Mjracle Sheppard led the Bears with 16 points while Gisella Maul posted her first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Sakima Walker blocked a career-high five shots.
 
Taylor Barnes hit her second triple to get the Bears to within 14-10 with under three minutes to go in the first quarter. With the time winding down Maul was able to drive to the paint for a floater at the buzzer to cut the Tigers' lead to just two at 14-12 heading into the second quarter. Cal ended the quarter on a 5-0 run.
 
Missouri opened the second quarter on a 5-0 run fueled by back-to-back Cal turnovers before Twidale ended it with a triple from the corner to get the Bears back within four points at the 8:08 mark. Sheppard hit a jumper in the key to cut the deficit to two on the Bears' next possession. A Cal 6-0 run capped by a Walker layup tied game at 19-19 with under seven minutes to go. Maul then hit a triple to give Cal its first lead of the game at the 5:45 mark to cap a 10-2 run. Sheppard swiped steals on the Tigers' last two possessions and Cal went into the break down just 33-31.
 
In the third quarter, Sheppard converted back-to-back layups to power a 6-0 Cal run that put the Bears up 39-35 at the 6:30 mark. After the Tigers got to within one, Lola Donez found Twidale on the wing for her second 3-pointer of the game with 4:20 remaining in the quarter. The Bears got their largest lead of the game at 53-46 after Sheppard took the ball on a fast break and found Twidale for her third triple at the 1:04 mark to cap a 7-0 run. Cal went into the final frame up 55-50.
 
In the final frame, Barnes came up with an offensive rebound and a putback to put Cal up 65-63 with 1:55 to go. The Tigers hit a 3-pointer that rattled in to go up 66-65 with 42.3 left. On the next Cal possession Sheppard drove the baseline to give Cal the lead back for the final time.
 
"I thought they really listened to the messages all week," Cal head coach Charmin Smith said. "We were challenging them to be better. I thought we were better. I thought we competed. I thought Sakima [Walker] really stepped up and was dialed in, but just came up a little short, unfortunately, and still had some things bite us, just some crucial mistakes. Sometimes in sports, it's heartbreaking. Just because you want it and you play hard doesn't mean it's always going to go your way. I was proud of their effort, and we still have work to do."
 
Missouri was led by Shannon Dowell's 25 points.
 
NEXT UP
Cal returns to Haas Pavilion to host San Jose State on Sunday at 2 p.m. PT.  
 
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