The California women's basketball team (12-9, 3-5 ACC) will look to add to its two-game win streak in ACC play when it hosts Notre Dame for the first time at Haas Pavilion on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT.   
 
This will mark the sixth overall meeting between the two programs with three of the previous five meetings taking place on a neutral court. Notre Dame has won all five contests and will be making its first-ever trip to Berkeley.
 
In the last matchup, which took place at the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina, last season, it was a six-point game with less than four minutes left before the Irish were able to pull away. Lulu Twidale paced the Bears with 16 points and four 3-pointers.
 
Notre Dame is currently 13-7 overall and 5-4 in ACC play with ranked wins over USC and North Carolina. The Irish are led by sixth-year head coach Niele Ivey, who has guided the team to four straight Sweet 16 appearances. Notre Dame features reigning ACC Player and Defensive Player of the Year Hannah Hidalgo, who set an NCAA record with 16 steals in a game earlier this season.
 
Thursday's game will stream on ACCNX with former Cal star Layshia Clarendon and Chris Sylvester on the call.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date & Time: Thursday, Jan. 29 | 7:00 p.m. PT
Broadcast: ACCNX
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
QUICK HITS
In the 78-81 OT Cal win against Stanford on Sunday:

• Twidale posted a game-high 24 points with three 3-pointers.
• Down one with 27 seconds left Twidale nailed a 3-pointer to retake the lead and in the OT, she scored 10 of the team's 13 points and 14 of the team's final 17 points.
• Taylor Barnes hit a couple of 3-pointers on her way to 15 points to go along with five rebounds.
• Sakima Walker also scored in double figures with 13 points while blocking three shots.
• Gisella Maul played all 45 minutes and led the team in rebounds with eight.           

Starting Five

• Over her last six games, Maul is averaging close to a double-double at 11.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. During ACC play she is averaging 7.1 rebounds per game, which ranks sixth in the ACC and leads the team.
• For the month of January, Twidale leads the ACC in 3-pointers made (25) and is fourth in assists (39). She and Virginia's Kymora Johnson are the only two players in the ACC to rank in the top five for January.
• Nationally, Twidale ranks sixth in 3-pointers and 26th in assists for January (entering the week).
• For the month of January, Mjracle Sheppard ranks ninth in the ACC in assists (31). She and Twidale are one of only two duos in the ACC to rank in the top 10.
• Barnes is the only freshman in the conference to rank in the top 10 among rookies in points, rebounds, assists, 3-pointers, steals and blocks.

 
Inside Twidale's Week at Syracuse (1/15) and Boston College (1/18)
 
For the week (1/12 – 1/18):

• Led the ACC in points (52), assists (21) and 3-pointers (12).
• Led the country in assists.
• Was 2nd in the country in 3-pointers.
• Was 7th in the country in points.
• Only player in the country to rank in the top 10 across all three categories.
• Averaged a double-double at 26.0 points, 10.5 assists and 6.0 3-pointers.
• Was one of only four players in the country to have 12 assists in a game.
• Was one of only two players in the country to average 10-plus points and 10-plus assists.

At Boston College:

• Became the only player in the NCAA not named Caitlin Clark (4 times) to post 36 points, eight 3-pointers and nine assists in a game (since at least 2002-03 according to Stathead)
• The eight 3-pointers were second most in a game in program history (Asha Thomas: 9 vs Manhattan on Nov. 24, 2017), the second most by an ACC player this season and tied for the seventh most in ACC history.
• The 36 points were the most by a Cal player since 2018 (Kristine Anigwe: 37 vs Houston on Nov. 6).
• Became just the fifth player in program history to score at least 36 points in a game.

At Syracuse:

• Posted first career double-double with 16 points and a career-high 12 assists along with four triples for second consecutive game.
• Became just the fifth ACC player to have 12 assists in a game this season.
• Became just the seventh player in Cal history with 12 assists in a game.
• Nailed two crucial 3-pointers in the final 21 seconds of the first overtime (including one with .3 seconds left) to force double-overtime.

STAY POSTED
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