Coming off an ACC win against Pitt in which the No. 21 California women's basketball team (19-4; 7-3 ACC) scored its most points (84) and had its largest win margin (31 points) during conference play, the Golden Bears hit the road to face Louisville (15-7, 8-3) at the KFC Yum! Center on Thursday at 5 p.m. PT.
 
This marks just the fourth meeting between the two programs with Louisville owning a 2-1 series lead. Cal however won the most recent matchup, 75-71, at then-No. 8 ranked Louisville.
 
A win against Louisville would mark the most overall and conference wins in the Smith era. It would also give Cal its fourth Quad 1 (NET) win of the season and mark the first 20-win season for the Bears since 2018-19.
 
Louisville is led by 18th-year head coach Jeff Walz, who boasts an impressive resume with the Cardinals that includes 12 trips to the NCAA Sweet 16, eight trips to the Elite Eight, four trips to the final four and two trips to the national title game. The Cardinals feature four players who average double-figure scoring led by four-time ACC Rookie of the Week Tajianna Roberts (13.2 points per game).
 
Thursday's game will be broadcast on the ACC Network with Alex Loeb and Stephanie White on the call.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date & Time: Thursday, Feb. 6 |5 p.m. PT
Broadcast: ACC Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
QUICK HITS
In the 84-53 win over Pitt on Sunday:

• Cal scored its most points and had its largest margin of victory against an ACC opponent this season.
• For the first time this season, every Bear who stepped on the court got into the scoring column.
• Cal had its fewest turnovers (11) in its last six games.
• Lulu Twidale and Ioanna Krimili drained four and three triples respectively.
• Marta Suarez tied a team high with 16 points and Michelle Onyiah nearly had a double-double (10 points and nine rebounds) in just 17 minutes.
• Krimili brought down a season-high seven rebounds and Jayda Noble dished out a season-high five assists.

 
NCAA Team Rankings (as of Feb. 4)

• Total 3-pointers made - 10th (210)
• 3-point makes per game - 16th (9.1)
• 3-point percentage - 25th (35.8%)
• Field goal percentage - 31st (46.1)
• Field goal percentage defense - 50th (37.6%)
• Scoring - 57th (74.4)

 
Player Notes

• Krimili was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week Watch List – which consists of 50 of the top women's college basketball players in the country.
• On Feb. 4, Krimili and Kayla Williams were named to the Women's College All-Star Game Watch List, comprised of 70 of the top seniors in the country.
• Krimili's 406 career 3-pointers rank 16th on the NCAA's all-time career list. She needs to hit 19 more to move into a tie for 10th place all time.
• Krimili and Twidale are the best 3-point shooting duo in the nation. Krimili is ranked fifth while Twidale is ranked sixth (through Feb. 3). No other school has a duo who have combined for more made 3-pointers or rank in the top 25.
• While Krimili holds Cal's single-season 3-point record at 69, Twidale's 67 triples this season rank second on the list.
• Twidale leads all sophomores in the nation in made 3-pointers (through Feb. 3).
• Marta Suárez has scored at least 16 points in five of her last eight games and shot 50.5% from the field while averaging 7.6 rebounds over that stretch.
• Suárez is one of three players in the conference to rank in the top 20 in scoring (14.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg) and top 10 in field goal percentage (50.0) during ACC play.
• Williams is just one of two players in the nation shooting at least 50.0% from the field and 40.0% from deep and totaling at least 95 assists on the season. The other is Notre Dame's Olivia Miles.
• Michelle Onyiah is setting career single-season highs across several categories this year: FG% (60.6), rebounding (7.0) and scoring (10.5). During ACC play she is shooting 63.1% from the field.

 
Team Notes

• At 19-4, Cal is off to its best overall start under Smith and since the 2012-13 season (19-2). Cal's six road wins are the most under Smith.
• The Bears are one of 21 teams in the country with three Quad 1 (NET) wins.
• Cal is currently 8-3 against teams from the 2024 NCAA Tournament with wins over No. 19 Alabama, No. 21 NC State, Florida State, Gonzaga, Auburn, Arizona and Stanford (twice).
• Entering this week, Cal is 1 of only 10 schools in the country to have five players averaging over 10 points per game.

 
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