Cal Heads To Kansas State For WBIT Second Round

Mjracle Sheppard has had multiple steals in five of her last six games averaging 2.8 per game during that stretch.

WBB3/21/2026 8:46 AM | By: Cal Athletics

Marks First-Ever Game Against Wildcats

The California women’s basketball team (20-14, 9-9 ACC) advanced to the second round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament after defeating Santa Clara on Thursday and will now face No. 2 seed Kansas State at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas on Sunday at 4 p.m. PT/6 p.m. CT.
 
This marks Cal’s first-ever matchup against the Wildcats.
 
The winner of this game will face the winner of the second-round matchup between No. 1 seed North Dakota State and Columbia.
 
Kansas State is led by 12th-year head coach Jeff Mittie who has taken the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament six times during his tenure. The Wildcats feature Tess Heal who was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and Taryn Sides who was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recipient.
 
Sunday’s game will be streamed on ACCNX with Brian Smoller and Shaelyn Floyd on the call with Hannah Whetstone handling sideline duties.
 
GAME INFORMATION

Date & Time: Sunday, March 22 | 4:00 p.m. PT
Broadcast: ACCNX
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
QUICK HITS
In the 72-68 win over Santa Clara in the first round of the WBIT:

Lulu Twidale finished with her second-career double-double behind 27 points and a career-high and game-high 11 rebounds. It marked her eighth 20-point performance this season.
Sakima Walker scored four consecutive field goals to spark the fourth quarter comeback and ended up with 19 points, six rebounds and three blocks.
Gisella Maul swiped a career-high three steals.
The Bears grabbed 51 rebounds – their second most this season and most since pulling down 55 against San Jose State on Dec. 7, 2025.
Cal held Santa Clara to just four 3-pointers – tied for its fewest in a game this season.

 
Starting Five

Twidale has led the country in 3-pointers (67) since Jan. 1.
Over her last seven games, Twidale is averaging 6.1 rebounds per game – a stretch that includes a nine-rebound game at Florida State and her career-high 11 against Santa Clara.
Over her last seven games, Twidale is averaging 21.1 points and 3.1 triples per game.
Maul has scored in double figures in four of her last five games averaging 12.4 points per game over that span to go along with 7.8 rebounds per game.
Mjracle Sheppard has had multiple steals in five of her last six games averaging 2.8 per game during that stretch.

 
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

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.