The streak of hard luck continues for the Washington women's basketball team after a nail-biting defeat to California, coming on the heels of three consecutive losses. Despite a spirited comeback, the Huskies fell short in a close 59-57 game on Sunday, as noted by the Seattle Times. Early offensive struggles saw them trail by 13 points in the first quarter before rallying to tie the game, only to lose grip in the closing moments.
“I think our starts have become very difficult to overcome for us,” UW coach Tina Langley told the Seattle Times. In the second half with a key performance, Lauren Schwartz's jumper tied the game at 31 all, and a steal and subsequent layup by Elle Ladine highlighted their defensive prowess. However, these efforts were not quite enough to overcome the early deficit and secure a win.
The Huskies showcased resilience, exemplified by Jayda Noble's tying three-pointer with a little over six minutes left in the game, but the Golden Bears responded promptly and maintained their edge down the stretch, reported the Pac-12 Conference's official site. In what was a defensively charged game, the Huskies forced 19 turnovers, above Cal's season average, signifying a strong defensive stance despite the loss.
On the individual front, Dalayah Daniels led the Huskies with 13 points, and Ladine and Schwartz finished with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Cal's Marta Suarez and Ioanna Krimili shared top-scoring honors for their team with 14 points each. Big moments, like Daniels' late three-pointer, which closed the deficit to a mere three points at the 46-second mark, invoked a palpable excitement in the crowd.
Turning the page, UW will attempt to snap their losing skid as they hit the road against Arizona State on Friday and Arizona on Sunday, hoping to find their early-season form that saw them start 11-0.
In other women's basketball news, the No. 1 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks exhibited their depth and dominated No. 11 UConn on Sunday, signaled by an 83-65 victory without star player Kamilla Cardoso, according to ESPN. Te-Hina Paopao stood out with 21 points, including five from beyond the arc, as the Gamecocks displayed their prowess and carried on a winning streak in the absence of Cardoso, who is currently fulfilling national team obligations in Olympic qualifying.
