Jayda Curry Scores 28 in Cal's Loss to No. 8 Utah Women

Bears stay with the Utes for a while, but let the game get away in the third quarter

Jayda Curry scored a season-high 28 points for Cal, which stayed with eighth-ranked Utah through the early part of of the third quarter. But a Utes scoring blitz lifted the Utah women to 101-76 victory on Thursday in Salt Lake City.

Utah ranks fourth in the country in scoring offense, and its 101 points are the most scored against the Bears (13-15, 4-13 Pac-12) since Cal's 108-104 double-overtime victory over UCLA in December of 2015.

The Utes (24-3, 13-3 Pac-12) improved to 13-0 at home this season and host first-place Stanford on Saturday in their final regular-season game. If the Utes win that game they will share the Pac-12 regular-season championship with the Cardinal.

Curry recorded a season high in points for the second straight game, after scoring 27 points in Sunday's overtime victory over USC.

“Jayda is getting going. This is the Jada Curry that we all know,” Cal coach Charmin Smith said.

Curry made two three-pointers to extend her Pac-12-record to 50 consecutive regular-season games in which she has made at least one three-pointer.

Cal guard Kemery Martín, a transfer from Utah, contributed 15 points and made three three-pointers. She and Curry have combined for  57 three-pointers this season.

Cal stayed with Utah through the first half and was within two points at 51-49 one minute into the third quarter.  Utah then reeled off 14 consecutive points to take control of the game.

“Late in that third quarter, they all kind of got loose on us and we had some defensive let downs," Smith said, "and they’re a really good offensive team and when you have letdowns they're going to make you pay for it.  I think we let them have too many easy looks inside.

"I think you play differently when the game's close and tight, right? The shots are easy to make when you're on a run and we just  lost it a little bit."

Alissa Pili scored 26 points and Jenna Johnson added 21 to help Utah.

Cal faces Colorado in Boulder on Saturday in the Bears' final regular-season game. The Pac-12 tournament starts Wednesday.

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