WBB3/1/2022 2:24 PM | By: Cal Athletics
Cal And Utes To Appear On Pac-12 Network
BERKELEY – Cal women’s basketball team begins Pac-12 Tournament play on Wednesday when they take on the sixth-seeded Utah Utes at 8:30 p.m. at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Wednesday’s game will be televised on the Pac-12 Network with Krista Blunk and Mary Murphy handling the play-by-play duties. Fans can also follow the action via live stats at Statbroadcast.com.
The Bears are 11-12 overall but are riding a four-game losing streak as they enter tournament play. All-time the Bears are 22-21 and are 1-0 against Utah, having defeated the Utes 66-63 in overtime in Seattle in the 2016 tournament.
Utah is 17-10 overall but is coming off a 73-65 loss at home to Oregon to end the regular season. The Utes lead the conference in scoring as a team, averaging 77.5 points per game, however, they are last in the Pac-12 in points allowed at 68.1 per contest. Leading Utah in scoring is freshman Jenna Johnson at 11.8 points per game.
GAME 24 INFORMATION
Date/Time: Mar. 2, 2022 – 8:30 pm PT
Opponent: Utah Utes (17-10, 8-7 Pac-12)
Site: Michelob ULTRA Arena (Las Vegas, Nev.)
TV: Pac-12 Network/Pac-12 Bay Area
Talent: Krista Blunk (play-by-play) Mary Murphy (Analyst)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast.com
AT A GLANCE
• All-Conference Bears: The Pac-12 announced its all-conference awards on Tuesday morning with two Cal players earning all-conference accolades. Freshman guard Jayda Curry was named to the All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention and All-Freshman Team, while fellow guard Leilani McIntosh earned All-Defensive honorable mention honors. The Media Awards will be announced Wednesday morning.
• As a team, the Bears are averaging 68.8 points per game which ranks fourth in the conference and 96th in the nation. The Bears allow 66.4 points per game which rank 11th in the Pac-12. Cal’s +2.4 scoring margin is 164th in the nation and eighth in the conference.
• Viva Las Vegas: Since the Pac-12 Tournament moved to Las Vegas in 2019 the Bears are 2-3 and have won at least once game twice. All-time the Bears average 68.2 points per game in Las Vegas while allowing 70.8 points per contest. Last year, Cal went 0-1 falling to Oregon State 71-63.
•Neutral Site: The Bears are technically credited with one neutral site game this year – a 70-41 win over USF at the Chase Center in San Francisco – however, that is really an away game as USF’s department was the host for that event. In that “neutral site game” Jayda Curry went off for a then career-best 27 points.
Series Versus Utah
Wednesday is the 27th time the Bears and Utes have squared off. The series dates back to the 1978-79 season when Utah defeated the Bears 93-62 in Salt Lake City. All-time the Bears own a 14-12 advantage in the series, however, the Utes have won seven of the last 10 match-ups. At a neutral venue, the Bears are 2-1 against Utah, including a 66-63 overtime win over the Utes in the Pac-12 Tournament in Seattle on Mar. 3, 2016.
Last Time Out Versus Utah
In a game that featured big runs from both teams, Utah scored seven straight points in overtime to emerge with an 80-75 victory over Cal at Haas Pavilion on Feb. 13.
The Golden Bears, who were playing their first overtime contest of the season, took a 75-73 lead after a pair of free throws from Jayda Curry. But the Utes’ Gianna Kneepkens hit a 3-pointer with 1:26 remaining, then made four free throws down the stretch to clinch the win.
In a battle between the conference’s top freshmen, Utah’s Kneepkens led all scorers with 21. Curry finished with 15 along with four assists for the Golden Bears.
STAY CONNECTED
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