WBB11/29/2017 1:13 PM | By: Cal Athletics
Bears Set For School Haas Rock
BERKELEY - The Cal women's basketball team is excited to once again play host to thousands of local youth, when the Golden Bears (3-2, 0-0 Pac-12) take on the Seattle University Redhawks (3-3, 0-0 WAC) on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. PT at Haas Pavilion. Thursday's game marks the fourth annual "School Haas Rock", an educational event targeted towards elementary and middle school-age children in the Bay Area.
"This is one of my favorite games of the year," said Cal head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. "For me as a coach, there is no greater feeling than to have thousands of screaming kids watching our girls do what they love. Kids from our community get to see our powerful young women playing basketball, while also experiencing a college campus."
The midday game also marks the first meeting ever between the Redhawks and Golden Bears. After spending six seasons at the helm of Cal State East Bay, head coach Suzy Barcomb is in her second season at Seattle U and has her team off to a 3-3 start on the young season. The Redhawks will be looking to bounce back from a 79-53 defeat to UC Davis their last time out, which snapped a three-game winning streak.
The Golden Bears will also be looking to get back in the win column after being edged by No. 23 Missouri, 55-52, on Saturday in the championship game of the Cal Classic. Junior guard Asha Thomas led all scorers with 14 points and Kristine Anigwe added 10 points and two blocks for the Bears, but the visiting Tigers prevailed in the final minute.
A unanimous Preseason All-Pac-12 selection, Anigwe was recently announced as a candidate for the 2018 Citizen Naismith Player of the Year Trophy. Another Golden Bear earned accolades this week as freshman guard Kianna Smith was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week. The rookie from Moreno Valley, California, was named to the Cal Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 13 points and 8.5 assists per game over the weekend, including a 17-point, 12-assist double-double against Manhattan.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Fans unable to attend Thursday's game can watch the action via live stream. Live stats will also be available, along with additional updates and behind-the-scenes information on the Bears social media accounts (Twitter: @CalWBBall, Instagram: @CalWBBall).
LAST TIME OUT
The Top-25 matchup in the championship game of the 2017 Cal Classic lived up to the billing, as No. 21 California and No. 23 Missouri battled in an energetic and tightly-contested affair. The visiting Tigers' claimed a 55-52 victory over the Golden Bears as Cal's as three-point attempt to send the game into overtime fell short in the final seconds.
Asha Thomas led all scorers with 14 points while junior forward/center Kristine Anigwe also reached double figures with 10 points. The loss snapped Cal's streak of 13 consecutive home wins in non-conference play, denied the Golden Bears their second consecutive Cal Classic title.
Trailing by six entering the fourth quarter, the Bears went on an 11-4 run midway through the period, tying the game at 49-49 with 3:41 left in regulation as Anigwe finished in the paint. The two-time honorable mention All-American ended the game with 10 points and two blocked shots, despite seeing limited minutes due to early foul trouble. Missouri took a three-point lead with 11.4 seconds left to play and Thomas, who set a program record with nine three-pointers against Manhattan and was 4-8 from three-point range against Missouri, got a look at a three-pointer out of the Cal timeout, but her shot fell short.
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS
Seattle U heads to Haas Pavilion also looking to bounce back from a loss, after suffering a 79-53 loss to UC Davis at home on Sunday. Forward Jacinta Beckley and sing Alexis Montgomery score 15 points and 12 points, respectively, for the Redhawks in the defeat.
Montgomery, a redshirt senior from Beaverton, Oregon, leads the team in both scoring and rebounding this season, averaging 19.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. Kamira Sanders (13.0 PPG) and Jacinta Beckley (10.8 PPG) are also averaging double-figures for the Redhawks so far this season.
Head coach Suzy Barcomb enters her second season with the Redhawks after leading Seattle U to a 15-18 record last season and the First Round of the WNIT. Before heading to Seattle, Barcomb spent six seasons in Northern California as the head coach of Cal State East Bay.
UP NEXT
Following Thursday's game, Cal will head to the South Bay, taking on Santa Clara (2-4, 0-0 WCC) on Saturday, December 2 at 2 p.m. PT. The Golden Bears and Broncos squared off in Berkeley last season for Cal's home opener, resulting in a 73-58 victory for the Bears.
2017-18 TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW
Season, group and single-game tickets for the 2017-18 women's basketball season are now on sale. Season tickets start as low as $40 ($2.67 per game, 15 games) for youth and seniors and $80 ($5.33 per game, 15 games) for adult general admission tickets. Single-game tickets are available starting at $4 for youth and seniors and $5 for adults, while flex and partial plans are also available purchase. For more information, call the Gold Standard Sales and Service line at (800) GO BEARS (462-3277) or visit the CalBears.com ticket page.
JOIN THE JOURNEY: THE RETURN OF THISISCALBASKETBALL.COM
Cal's one-of-a-kind multimedia fan site, ThisIsCalBasketball.com, is back for its seventh season and once again features an unprecedented look into the inner workings of the personalities behind the Cal women's basketball's roster. Visitors to ThisIsCalBasketball.com can get an in-depth look at the personalities behind the jerseys, from action and portrait photos to bio videos and conversations between current players and alumnae.
STAY POSTED
Keep up-to-date on the latest Cal women's basketball news by following the Bears on social media. View behind-the-scenes photos and videos and learn more about Cal and its student-athletes on Twitter (@CalWBball), Instagram (@CalWBball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/CalWBball).
