Don Collier/KLC ƒotos
Gisella Maul is shooting over 50% from beyond the arc over her last four games.
Bears Look For Fourth-Straight Win Against Demon Deacons
The California women’s basketball team (18-13, 9-9 ACC) enters the 2026 ACC Tournament as the 10 seed and will face 15-seed Wake Forest in the opening round on Wednesday at Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia at 10:30 a.m. PT.
This is the sixth meeting between the two programs with Cal holding a 3-2 series advantage and winners of three straight against Wake Forest.
In this year’s matchup on Jan. 11 at Haas Pavilion, the Bears won 61-52 behind a 17-point effort from Sakima Walker who also added three blocks. Lulu Twidale knocked down four 3-pointers while dishing out five assists.
Wake Forest finished 14-16 and 4-14 in ACC play and are led by fourth-year head coach Megan Gebbia. The Deamon Decons feature Grace Oliver who paces the team in scoring at 14.5 points per game and tied for the team lead in rebounding at 6.2 rebounds per game.
Wednesday’s game will air on ACC Network with Jenn Hildreth and Beth Mowins on the call.
GAME INFORMATION
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 4 | 10:30 a.m. PT
Broadcast: ACC Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
QUICK HITS
In the 78-34 win over SMU on Sunday:
Twidale had one of her most efficient offensive showings of the season as she finished with a game-high 25 points (8-of-14) and seven 3-pointers (7-of-11)
Gisella Maul knocked down four 3-pointers for the second consecutive game to finish with 17 points to go along with eight rebounds.
The 34 points were the lowest for a Cal opponent since Jan. 11, 2009, when the Bears held Washington to 34 points which is also the lowest opponent total since the 1978-79 season.
The 15 3-pointers were the most in a game this season and the fourth-most in program history.
Starting Five
Since Jan. 1, Twidale leads the country in 3-pointers (62).
Twidale is just one of two players in the ACC to rank in the top 10 for scoring (17.0 – 7th), assists (4.2 – 8th) and 3-pointers (63 – 1st) and free throw percentage (93.0 – 1st) during conference play.
Over her last three games, Maul is averaging 14.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.3 triples per game while shooting 50% from beyond the arc.
Walker has 15 multi-block games which is tied for 3rd most in the ACC.
Sheppard has 17 multi-steal games which is tied for 4th most in the ACC.
Inside Twidale’s Performance at Florida State (Feb. 19)
Marked her third 30-point game on the road – led the ACC and ranked second nationally at the time.
Twidale ranked second in the ACC and 15th nationally with her three 30-point games at the time.
She is one of only eight players to post a 30-9-6 game this season and one of three to do it with five 3-pointers.
Inside Maul’s week at Georgia Tech and Pitt
For the week of February 2:
Averaged 18.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 3-pointers
Posted back-to-back double-doubles and shot 56.5% from the field and 50.0% from deep for the week.
Was the only player in the ACC and one of two in the country to shoot over 50% from the field and deep (min. 10 attempts) while grabbing at least 20 rebounds.
Nine of her 24 rebounds for the week came on the offensive end.
Only guard in the ACC and one of three players overall to record two double-doubles for the week.
At Georgia Tech:
Maul took over the game in the fourth quarter, finishing with 10 clutch points in the period.
On four separate occasions in the fourth quarter, Georgia Tech cut the Bears’ lead to one possession and each time Maul answered with a 2 or 3-pointer to prevent the Yellow Jackets from taking the lead – including a baseline jumper with 35 seconds left to put Cal up by five.
Inside Twidale’s performance at Pitt (Feb. 8)
Twidale became just the second player in the country this year with multiple games with at least 30 points and seven assists, joining Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame) and Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt).
She is now the only player in the country to have not only one but two games with at least 30 points, seven assists and seven triples.
She became just the fifth player in Cal history to have two 30-point games in a season and just the fourth ACC player this season.
Inside Twidale’s Week at Syracuse (1/15) and Boston College (1/18)
For the week (1/12 – 1/18):
Led the ACC in points (52), assists (21) and 3-pointers (12).
Led the country in assists.
Was second in the country in 3-pointers.
Was seventh in the country in points.
Only player in the country to rank in the top 10 across all three categories.
Averaged a double-double at 26.0 points, 10.5 assists and 6.0 3-pointers.
Was one of only four players in the country to have 12 assists in a game.
Was one of only two players in the country to average 10-plus points and 10-plus assists.
At Boston College:
Became the only player in the NCAA not named Caitlin Clark (four times) to post 36 points, eight 3-pointers and nine assists in a game (since at least 2002-03 according to Stathead)
The eight 3-pointers were second most in a game in program history (Asha Thomas: 9 vs Manhattan on Nov. 24, 2017), the second most by an ACC player this season and tied for the seventh most in ACC history.
The 36 points were the most by a Cal player since 2018 (Kristine Anigwe: 37 vs Houston on Nov. 6).
Became just the fifth player in program history to score at least 36 points in a game.
At Syracuse:
Posted first career double-double with 16 points and a career-high 12 assists along with four triples for second consecutive game.
Became just the fifth ACC player to have 12 assists in a game this season.
Became just the seventh player in Cal history with 12 assists in a game.
Nailed two crucial 3-pointers in the final 21 seconds of the first overtime (including one with .3 seconds left) to force double-overtime.
STAY POSTED
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