The California women's basketball team (19-13, 9-9 ACC) is coming off a decisive 75-52 win over Wake Forest and now faces seventh-seeded Syracuse in the second round of the ACC Tournament at Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia on Thursday at 2 p.m. PT.
 
This is just the fourth meeting between the two programs with Cal holding a 2-1 series advantage. This will be the first neutral site meeting in the series.
 
In the previous matchup at Syracuse on Jan. 15, the game went to triple overtime – the first such game in program history. In that game, four Bears scored in double-figures led by Naya Ojukwu who had a game-high 25 points while Lulu Twidale handed out a career-high 12 assists. Cal overcame a 20-point third quarter deficit but ultimately fell on a buzzer-beater 3-pointer in the third overtime.
 
Syracuse (22-7, 12-6) features standout freshman Uche Izoje who was named the ACC Rookie of the Year after leading the team with 15.0 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game and leading the ACC in blocks at 2.6 blocks per game.
 
Thursday's game will air on ACC Network with Courtney Lyle and Brooke Wesibrod on the call and Jess Sims handling sideline reporting duties.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date & Time: Thursday, March 5 | 2:00 p.m. PT
Broadcast: ACC Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
QUICK HITS
In the 75-52 win over Wake Forest on Wednesday:

• Charmin Smith earned her 100th career win.
• Sakima Walker led all scorers with 17 points on an efficient 8-of-17 from the field and added 10 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season
• Lulu Twidale, Gisella Maul and Puff Morris each knocked down a pair of triples.
• The guard trio of Twidale, Maul and Mjracle Sheppard combined for 21 of the team's 41 rebounds.
• A total of 11 Bears got into the scoring column. 

Starting Five

• Since Jan. 1, Twidale leads the country in 3-pointers (64).
• Over her last five games, Twidale is averaging 6.0 rebounds per game - a stretch that includes her career high of nine rebounds at Florida State.
• Over her last four games, Maul is averaging 13.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.0 triples per game while shooting 48% from beyond the arc.
• Since Jan. 1, Walker is shooting 56.3% from the field, which ranks 18th in the country (min. 140 FGA).
• Sheppard has had multiple steals in three of her last four games and is averaging 3.3 per game over that span. 

Inside Twidale's Performance at Florida State (Feb. 19)

• Marked her third 30-point game on the road - led the ACC and ranked second nationally at the time.
• Twidale ranked second in the ACC and 15th nationally with her three 30-point games at the time.
• She is one of only eight players to post a 30-9-6 game this season and one of three to do it with five 3-pointers. 

Inside Maul's week at Georgia Tech and Pitt
For the week of February 2:

• Averaged 18.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 3-pointers
• Posted back-to-back double-doubles and shot 56.5% from the field and 50.0% from deep for the week.
• Was the only player in the ACC and one of two in the country to shoot over 50% from the field and deep (min. 10 attempts) while grabbing at least 20 rebounds.
• Nine of her 24 rebounds for the week came on the offensive end.
• Only guard in the ACC and one of three players overall to record two double-doubles for the week. 

At Georgia Tech:

• Maul took over the game in the fourth quarter, finishing with 10 clutch points in the period.
• On four separate occasions in the fourth quarter, Georgia Tech cut the Bears' lead to one possession and each time Maul answered with a 2 or 3-pointer to prevent the Yellow Jackets from taking the lead - including a baseline jumper with 35 seconds left to put Cal up by five.

Inside Twidale's performance at Pitt

• Twidale became just the second player in the country this year with multiple games with at least 30 points and seven assists, joining Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame) and Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt).
• She is now the only player in the country to have not only one but two games with at least 30 points, seven assists and seven triples.
• She became just the fifth player in Cal history to have two 30-point games in a season and just the fourth ACC player this season. 

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 second in the country in 3-pointers.
• Was seventh 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 (four 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.

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