Lulu Twidale Leads Cal Women to OT Win Over Stanford

Thanks in large part to the clutch play of Lulu Twidale, Cal came up with his best win of the season on Sunday, beating rival Stanford 78-71 in overtime at Haas Pavilion.

"These moments are really, really meaningful," said Cal head coach Charmin Smith, who played on three Final Four teams at Stanford.

Couples with Cal's victory over Stanford in the men's game on Saturday, it gave the Bears a weekend sweep of its archrival, with both Cal wins being considered upsets.

Coming off a career-high 36-point effort in Cal's previous game -- a win over Boston College -- Twidale had 24 points against the Cardinal (15-6, 4-4 ACC). But it was the work she did when it mattered most that made her the star.

She scored 14 points in the final 27 seconds of regulation plus the overtime period to give the Bears (12-9, 3-5) a split of their regular-season series with the Cardinal, which had won 13 of the previous 15 games against Cal.

."To have Lu be able to finish the way she did down the stretch for us, it's what we expect of her, and it's what we needed," Smith said.

Twidale was 0-for-6 on three-point attempts when she nailed a three-pointer with 27 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to move Cal from a one-point deficit to a two-point lead. She made one of two free throws with 13.8 seconds to go to make a three-point margin, but Stanford's Lara Somfai, a 24.3% three-point shooter, made a three-point shot from the top of the key to tie it with 7.5 seconds left.

Cal's final possession of regulation time ended with Mjracle Sheppard getting her shot blocked.

Despite Stanford presumably having the momentum entering the overtime period, Cal took control when Twidale hit a three-pointer 20 seconds into the overtime. She made another shot from long distance at the 2:03 mark to put Cal ahead by six points, and her driving layup with 20.4 seconds remaining regained that six-point lead for the Bears.

Twidale ended her night by making two foul shots with 9.4 seconds left to set the final score.

In both games against the Cardinal this season, Cal held a lead entering the fourth quarter. In the December 14 contest at Stanford, Cal led by three points after three quarters and increased the margin to five points early in the fourth quarter. But Stanford rallied to win that game 78-69.

Cal entered the fourth quarter of Sunday's game leading by four and increased the margin to seven points with 6:25 to go.

However, when Stanford's Alexandra Eschmeyer hit a 7-footer in the lane to give the Cardinal a 62-61 lead with 34.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, it appeared Stanford might pull out a win.

But that is when Twidale hit her three-pointer with 27 seconds left, then dominated the overtime period to improve Cal's home record to 10-1.

Stanford entered the game with a NET ranking of 36, while Cal came in at No. 58. ESPN's latest NCAA tournament projections had the Cardinal in the field as a No. 8 seed, but this loss hurts the Cardinal. It also helps Cal, although the Bears will need some more impressive wins to make the NCAA tournament field for the second straight season.

Taylor Barnes added 15 points for Cal, and Sakima Walker had 13. Somfai had 16 points for Stanford, which played most of the fourth quarter without leading scorer Nunu Agara, who left the game with an injury with 8:58 left in the fourth quarter.

Cal’s late second-quarter surge enabled the Bears to tie the game 34-34 at halftime.

Stanford held a 10-point lead with 7:20 remaining in the first half, and the Cardinal still led by nine points with 4:50 to go. But the Bears outscored Stanford 11-2 over the rest of the second quarter, and Taylor Barnes’ follow shot with 49 seconds remaining in the half tied the game.

Lulu Twidale led Cal with 10 points in the first half while Chloe Cardy had 13 for the Cardinal, with 10 of Clardy’s points coming in the first quarter, which ended with the Cardinal holding a 19-9 lead.

NOTES

Both teams were without their starting point guard.

Cal freshman Puff Morris missed her seventh straight game, and it is unclear when or if she will return this season.

Stanford Talana Lepolo was sidelined for the first time this season after starting the Cardinal’s first 20 games at point guard.

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