BERKELEY – The California women's basketball team (21-15, 9-9 ACC) came back from a 12-point deficit late in the third quarter and took back the lead with just under two minutes left in the game but was unable to hold on and fell 74-68 to visiting Columbia (23-8, 11-3 Ivy) in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament at Haas Pavilion on Thursday night.
 
Down 55-49 entering the fourth quarter, the Golden Bears scored on their first two possessions to cut the deficit to just two points before the Lions answered with an 8-2 run. Lulu Twidale knocked down a triple and Gisella Maul was able to draw a shooting foul and hit both free throws on its next possession to help power a 9-0 run that gave the Bears a 64-63 lead at the 3:54 mark. Cal still had a one-point lead after Twidale drove to the bucket for a layup at the 2:06 mark but the Lions scored on their next two possessions to take a three-point lead with 50 seconds left. The Bears turned it over on their next possession but still had a shot to tie the game as Columbia threw the ball out of bounds on the ensuing inbounds play. Unable to get an open look from distance, Mjracle Sheppard drove the lane and drew a shooting foul but made only one of two with 19 seconds left and the Lions hit their free throws the rest of the way to win the game.
 
Sheppard and Twidale knocked down 3-pointers on consecutive possessions in the first quarter to give Cal an early 6-2 lead, but the Lions responded with an 11-0 run to retake it. Puff Morris' 3-pointer at the 3:00 mark ended the run. Maul converted a 3-point play to bring Cal to within 16-12 with just two minutes left in the quarter, but the Lions scored on each of their last four possessions to take a 22-15 lead into the second quarter.
 
Cal held Columbia scoreless for over three minutes in the second quarter and a Sheppard wing jump shot brought Cal to within one point with just under five minutes left in the half.  The Lions once again responded with a 7-0 run before Sheppard ended it with a hard drive for a layup with 2:19 to go. Columbia would take a 35-29 lead into the break.
 
The Lions opened the third quarter with four quick points before Twidale was able to drive the hoop for a 3-point play with just under seven minutes left to bring Cal to within 39-31. After Columbia hit back-to-back 3-pointers to extend its lead to 45-34, Maul was able to nail a triple of her own to cut the deficit to eight at the 5:45 mark. Cal hit five of its last six shots capped by a Maul 3-pointer to cut the deficit to four with 27 seconds left in the quarter.
 
Maul, Sheppard and Twidale led the way offensively for Cal with 15 points each while Sakima Walker added 11 points and four blocks.
 
"We were disappointed to have the season come to an end," Cal head coach Charmin Smith said. "I told the team, this has just been a really special year. I've really enjoyed this group. They're great young women, and they've represented the program, the university and themselves in an amazing way. I'm just really proud of them. Obviously I wish we could have done more today. I thought Columbia was really physical and played a great game. But with this being the last one with this team, I'm just really grateful to have had so much time with them."
 
Columbia was led by Perri Page's game-high 24 points while Riley Weiss added 22 points.
 
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