BERKELEY — There was no real drama in terms of whether Cal was going to be part of the 68-team field for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Bears knew they were in, so they invited a few hundred of their closest friends and supporters to share in the fun.
Cal hosted a watch party at the Field Club in Memorial Stadium. There was a master of ceremonies, a DJ, the Straw Hat Band, family members, donors and students. The selection show began at 5 p.m., with Cal not hearing its name called until 5:47 when the Bears (25-8) were announced as the No. 8 seed and will face No. 9. Mississippi State (22-10) of the Southeastern Conference.
As a bonus, after becoming experienced cross country flyers in their first year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Cal’s opener Saturday will be in Los Angeles at a time to be determined as USC (28-3) earned the No. 1 seed in Spokane Region Four and will host a four-team pod that includes Cal.
“We’re so glad we’re in L.A.,” forward Marta Suarez said. “We’re used to traveling but that doesn’t mean we wanted to do it.”
It will be Cal’s first NCAA Women’s Tournament game since 2019.
“Our sport is exploding right now,” Cal coach Charmin Smith said. “We want to be part of that, be a part of that momentum. Having a winning season helps for that. If we finish strong in the NCAA Tournament next year I really expect to see students at Haas Pavilion.”
Playing an exciting brand of basketball that includes a lot of 3-point shots and five starters that all average in double figures, the Bears went went 12-6 in the ACC and finished strong after a February dip that included road losses to Notre Dame and Louisville.
“We had our wishes and our dreams but all we kept saying is we know we’re in,” Smith said. “We’re dancing. We’re excited. We got exactly what we though we would get.”
Cal is led by All-ACC guard Ioanna Krimili from Herklion, Greece. A 5-foot-10 guard, she averaged 14.2 points per game. Lulu Twidale, a 5-10 guard from Queensland, Australia, averaged 13.2 with Suarez from Oveido Spain checking in at 13.2 points and 7.3 rebounds as a 6-3 forward. Veteran center Michelle Onyiah averaged 12.2 points and 7.4 rebounds and guard Kayla Williams 11.3 points and 4.0 assists per game.
The Bears were clearly reveling in the experience and broke into celebration when featured on the national ESPN feed.
“It’s so cool,” Krimili said. “All of our fans, they’ve been here since Day 1 and it’s a really good feeling. We all wanted this so bad.
Cal set a school record with 294 3-point baskets, 124 more than their opponents.
“They better guard the 3-point line. I think everybody knows that,” Smith said. “This is a team that enjoys playing with each other and playing for Cal. We want to keep playing as long as we can. It’s a great opportunity.”
Mississippi State finished 10th in the SEC, losing to Ole Miss in the league tournament to close out the season.
Like Cal, the Bulldogs, coached by Sam Purcell, can get up and down the floor, averaging 76.1 points per game.
After the party broke up, Cal coaches adjourned to their offices to begin devouring Mississippi State tape.
“I know Sam’s a really good coach,” Smith said. “I know his teams play hard. It’s an SEC opponent, it’s going to be a tough opponent for us. We have to get in the lab right now and figure it all out.”