The California women's basketball team (9-7, 0-3 ACC) will host its first set of ACC games this season starting with a matchup against Duke at Haas Pavilion on Thursday at 3 p.m. PT.
 
This will be just the sixth overall and second meeting as part of the ACC between the two programs with Duke holding a 4-1 series advantage and three-game winning streak. Cal's sole victory in the series came in a 72-66 win at Haas Pavilion on Dec. 21, 1993.
 
A win would be Cal's third this season against a team from the 2025 NCAA Tournament (Grand Canyon and Harvard) and first Quad 1 win of the season.
 
Duke is currently 9-6 overall and 4-0 in ACC play and is the reigning ACC Tournament champion. The Blue Devils are led by sixth-year head coach Kara Lawson, who has guided the team to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances including an Elite 8 in 2025. Duke features last year's ACC Rookie of the Year in Toby Fournier, who leads the team in scoring (17.7 pbg), rebounding (7.4 rpg) and blocks (35).
 
Thursday's game will stream on ACCNX with former Bear Layshia Clarendon and Krista Blunk on the call.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date & Time: Thursday, Jan. 8 | 3:00 p.m. PT
Broadcast: ACCNX
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
QUICK HITS
In the 71-60 Cal loss at NC State on Sunday:

• Taylor Barnes recorded her first-career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds while adding three steals.
• Gisella Maul nearly had a double-double finishing with nine points and a game and career-high 13 rebounds.
• Lulu Twidale knocked down three 3-pointers for the seventh time this season on the way to 16 points.
• Naya Ojukwu was 7-for-7 from the field before missing her final shot attempt to finish with 14 points.           

Starting Five

• Going back to the 2024-25 season, Cal has won 13 straight games at Haas Pavilion and is 24-1 overall at home since last year. The last loss was on Jan. 30, 2025 (UNC).
• Barnes is just the fifth rookie in the ACC to have recorded a double-double and the first Cal freshman to do so since 2021 (Michelle Onyiah and Dalayah Daniels).
• Maul is currently ranked seventh in the ACC in rebounding (7.7) during conference play and is the only non-full-time starter in the top 10.
• The Bears have held six of seven power 4 opponents to under their season scoring average and all three ranked opponents to an average of 9.3 points below their scoring average.
• Ojukwu has been one of the most efficient players in the country off the bench. For players averaging 10.5 minutes per game or less, she leads the country in scoring (7.3) and is 13th in rebounding (3.2). (Min. 10 games played)

STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Cal women's basketball, follow the Bears on X/Twitter (@CalWBBall), Instagram (@CalWBBball) and Facebook (/CalWBBall/).