Cal Women Play Without Jayda Curry in Loss to WSU in Pac-12 Opener

Cal's women's basketball team played without freshman Jayda Curry, who is the Pac-12's leading scorer, and two other important players in Friday's 69-42 loss at Washington State in both teams' Pac-12 opener.

Curry, who is averaging 20.1 points per game, the most by any freshman in the country, did not make the trip to Pullman, Wash. Dalayah Daniels, who averaged 14.0 points and 7.3 rebounds over the past three games, and guard Jazlen Green, who scored 20 points in the Bears' previous game against Cal Poly, also were absent for the Golden Bears.

Cal head coach Charmin Smith did not specify the reason for their absences and could not confirm that it had to do with COVID, although that is the issue that is playing havoc with player participation throughout the conference. Cal has strict personal privacy rules.

"I think we missed them, but, you know, everyone is missing someone," Smith said in the video below, noting that Washington State was without Ula Matuga, who has started seven games.

The Cal-Washington State contest was the only Pac-12 game played on Friday, as five other women's conference openers scheduled for Friday were postponed because of COVID issues.

Smith is hoping to have all three absent players back for the Bears' next game on Friday at home against Oregon State, but the uncertainty of whether games will be played as scheduled and which players will be available for each game may continue throughout the season.

"You know, today it feels that way," Smith said. "I hope not, but you look at the NBA, you look at the NFL, there's a lot going on. I don't know that we're immune to anything that they're not.

"It's going to be interesting, maybe entertaining for people -- 'Who's showing up today? Let's see.' You never know."

Cal entered the game averaging 76 points, but were held to its lowest scoring total of the season on Friday. It was also the Bears' largest margin of defeat this season.

Washington State (9-3, 1-0 Pac-12) took control of Friday's game in the opening minutes. Cal (9-3, 0-1 Pac-12) held an early 6-4 lead, but the Cougars reeled off the final 14 points of the first quarter to take an 18-6 lead entering the second quarter.

WSU increased its lead to 34-12 with 3:20 left in the second quarter. At that point Cal was 4-for-19 from field (21.1%) with 11 turnovers. The Cougars held a 38-14 lead at halftime, and Cal was never in that game after that. For the game, the Bears shot 28.2% from the floor and committed 17 turnovers.

"We didn't play well," Smith said. "We struggled obviously."

Smith noted in the video atop this story that she did not take much solace in the fact that Cal played WSU almost even in the second half. Without Curry Cal did not have the firepower needed to make a comeback

Curry's value was made obvious by her absence.

"I think we've gotten comfortable to rely on Jayda to make a lot of plays for us, handle pressure, to do a lot of the attacking and creating easy opportunities for other people, and we didn't have that," Smith said. "We need other people to step in with a little more confidence."

Washington State's Charlisse Leger-Walker scored a game-high 22 points, while Cailyn Crocker led Cal with 11 points, although she was just 3-for-12 from the field.

Cal's game against Washington, which was scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed, so the Bears don't play again until next Friday at home against the Beavers.

Cover photo of Leilani McIntosh by Rob Edwards, KLC Fotos

Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

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