On Friday at 2:30 PM PST on Pac-12 Networks, Cal women’s basketball will take on the Colorado Buffaloes in Boulder. Cal comes in at 0-10 overall and 0-6 in the Pac-12 while Colorado comes in at 4-6 overall and 2-5 in the Pac-12.
Last time out: On Sunday, Cal got blown out 100-41 at home by #11 Oregon. Cal freshman Ugonne Onyiah finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds.
RECAP: Cal WBB gets smoked by #11 Oregon
On Colorado: The Buffs are led by senior forward Mya Hollingshed (14.8 points & 8.5 rebounds) and sophomore guard Jaylyn Sherrod (11.4 points). It’s been a bit of a rough start for the Buffs, but they at least have a couple of league wins under their belt against Utah and Washington. On top of that, they lost by just three points (62-59) to now #11 Arizona back when they were ranked #6. So, they’ve shown they can play well against elite competition.
As a team, they average 66.9 points per game on 40.0% shooting from the field, 26.3% shooting from 3-point range, and 61.5% shooting from the foul line. They average a +4.9 rebound margin, 11.8 assists, 9.7 steals, 4.4 blocks, and 15.0 turnovers per game. Their opponents average 62.7 points per game on 39.2% shooting from the field, 32.2% shooting from 3-point range, and 67.1% shooting from the foul line.
Keys to the game: For Cal, the first key to the game is to establish their presence inside. If Evelien Lutje Schipholt, Dalayah Daniels, Ugonne Onyiah, Fatou Samb, and Sela Heide all get rolling inside, control the glass, and are the more dominant unit inside, that will go a long ways towards securing a win.
Secondly, Cal needs to generate some offense from the backcourt. Leilani McIntosh can’t be the only backcourt player to score for this Cal team. She needs help from Ornela Muca, Archer Olson, and Dalayah Daniels out on the wing. If Cal’s backcourt can get going a bit and knock down some perimeter shots, that would be huge. If not, it’s gonna be a long day in the Rockies.
Finally, Cal needs to relax and stay poised. I think this has actually been a strength of theirs this season. Through all the adversity and toughness, they have done a wonderful job of sticking together and not giving up. Every day is a new day for them and they approach it with a very positive attitude. If Cal brings that same attitude to Boulder, they just might get that first win of the season.