By R.L. Bynum
California (9–5, 0–1 ACC) at No. 16 North Carolina (12–3, 1–1)
When: noon Thursday
Where: Carmichael Arena
TV: ACC Network: Kevin Brown play-by-play, Debbie Antonelli analyst
Radio: WCHL AM1360, FM 97.9 (Also streaming on the Varsity Network app); Matt Krause play-by-play
Line: UNC -18½
Over/under: 131½
Coaches: Charmin Smith (90–94 in 7th season at Cal) and Courtney Banghart (391–170 in 19th season; 134–67 in seventh season at UNC)
UNC projected starters: Elina Aarnisalo, Lanie Grant, Indya Nivar, Nyla Harris and Ciera Toomey
Series: UNC leads 3–2, with UNC winning 65–52 last season at Cal.
Common opponents: none
NET rankings: Cal 63, UNC 17
Massey Ratings: Cal 51, UNC 24
Torvik rankings: Cal 57, UNC 9
Warren Nolan prediction: UNC 73, Cal 58
Quad designation: Cal’s NET ranking is 95, making this UNC’s ninth Quad 4 game of the season and second in a row. It’s a Quad 1 game for the Bears, who have lost Quad 1 games to Vanderbilt, USC and Stanford.
California results
Nov. 3: 74–65 loss vs. No. 12 Vanderbilt in Paris
Nov. 9: 69–52 win vs. Sacramento State
Nov. 11: 60–52 win vs. Pacific
Nov. 15: 69–44 win vs. Charlotte
Nov. 16: 76–55 win vs. Harvard
Nov. 20: 70–62 win vs. Saint Mary’s
Nov. 24: 68–63 win vs. Grand Canyon in Frisco, Texas
Nov. 26: 58–50 win vs. Auburn in Frisco, Texas
Dec. 4: 68–67 loss at Missouri in ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge
Dec. 7: 92–42 win vs. San Jose State
Dec. 10: 68–61 win vs. Idaho
Dec. 14: 78–69 loss at Stanford
Dec. 21: 61–57 loss vs. No. 17 USC in San Francisco
Dec. 28: 91–50 win vs. Cal Poly
Usual Cal starters
No. 10 | G | Lulu Twidale (top photo) | 5–10 | junior
— Team-leading 13.9 points, 37.2 FG%, 27.5 3P%, team-leading 80.4 FT%, 3.0 rebounds; totals of 38 assists, 35 turnovers, 11 steals
— On the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (top shooting guard) Preseason Watchlist
— From Sunshine Coast, Australia, she was second on the team last season with 13.2 points per game, pulled down a career-high seven rebounds against Wake Forest and scored 24 points against Saint Mary’s.
— Scored in double-figures in all but two games, with a season-high of 19 against Cal Poly.
— The only returning starter from last season, she scored two points in Cal’s 65–52 loss last season at Carmichael Arena.
No. 35 | C | Sakima Walker | 6–5 | graduate | South Carolina transfer
— 10.9 points, 54.1 FG%, 60.6 FT%, team-leading 6.9 rebounds; totals of 20 assists, 30 turnovers, team-high 27 blocks, 6 steals
— On Lisa Leslie Award (top center) Preseason Watchlist
— Cal is her fourth school. After playing her first two seasons at Rutgers (averaging 4.0 points and 2.5 rebounds) and her junior season at Northwest Florida State, she played the last two seasons at South Carolina (scoring 82 points in 47 games). With the Gamecocks, she was scoreless in nine total minutes in two games against UNC.
— Scored a career-high 25 points on Nov. 20 against St. Mary’s (highlights below)
No. 1 | G | Mjracle Sheppard | 5–10 | junior | LSU transfer
— 10.3 points, 47.9 FG%, 39.1 3P%, 52.0 FT%, 4.5 rebounds; totals of 32 assists, 20 turnovers, 10 blocks, team-high 24 steals
— Played freshman season at Mississippi State and transferred to Cal after one season at LSU
— Scored season-high 18 points at Missouri
No. 3 | F | Taylor Barnes | 6–0 | freshman
— 9.4 points, 40.8 FG%, 28.8 3P%, 76.2 FT%, 5.1 rebounds; totals of 26 assists, 20 turnovers, 6 blocks, 8 steals
— Ranked No. 70 by ESPN in the Class of 2025
— Had season-highs of 17 points and five assists against Vanderbilt
OUT FOR GAME: No. 25 | G | Aliyahna “Puff” Morris | 5–5 | freshman
— 7.9 points, 33.0 FG%, 30.9 3P%, 54.8 FT%, 3.2 rebounds; totals of 52 assists, 33 turnovers, 11 steals, 2 blocks
— One of 22 players nationally and three freshmen with 12 assists in a game, she is tied for the ACC lead with 52 assists.
— McDonald’s All-American and California Player of the Year last season at Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga
— Season-high 13 points against Idaho in one of four games scoring in double figures
Notes
— The initial ACC availability report lists Cal’s McDonald’s All-American freshman guard Aliyahna “Puff” Morris as out for the game after she started all 14 games this season. See more details about her above. The report lists UNC’s Laila Hull as a game-time decision, and also lists Cal reserve Claudia Langarita as out.
— McDonald’s All-American and California Player of the Year last season at Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga
— Season-high 13 points against Idaho in one of four games scoring in double figures
UNC lists no injuries on the ACC availability report. Cal lists Claudia Langarita (who has 19 points in 10 games) and Aliyahna Morris (as out.
— It’s a rebuilding year for California, which has lost four of its last seven games. The Bears return only one starter (guard Lulu Twidale) and start two freshmen.
— Last year’s leading scorer, Ioanna Krimili, graduated, and Marta Suarez (12.9 points per game last season) is averaging 18.8 points at TCU.
— Carolina comes off the biggest margin of victory in an ACC game in program history with a 51-point win at Boston College on Monday, 90–39, the most points in an ACC road win since scoring 92 at BC in 2009.
— UNC dished out a season-high 24 assists against BC, led by a career-high five from Lanie Grant.
— Reniya Kelly is finally working her way back to her form of early last season after a right knee injury limited her early this season. She scored a season-high nine points with five rebounds, three assists and two steals against the Eagles.
— Freshman Nyla Brooks is second in the ACC in 3-point-shooting percentage at 44.4% and third in 3-pointers per game at 2.4. She is 5 of 11 from outside the arc in the last three games.
— Senior guard Indya Nivar is third in the ACC and ninth in the country with 3.2 steals per game.
— Redshirt sophomore center Ciera Toomey is sixth in the ACC in blocks per game at 1.53 and 10th in rebounds per game at 7.1.
— This is the second New Year’s Day game for UNC, which had never previously played on Jan. 1 before the Tar Heels’ loss to Virginia Tech in 2023.
— Carolina is third in the ACC in scoring (80.6 points per game), scoring margin (+24), assists per game (17.33), turnover margin (+6.27), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.32) and offensive rebounding percentage (36.6%).
— UNC leads the ACC in 3-point shooting (36.4%) and is third in field-goal percentage (47.9%) but last in free-throw percentage (62.5%).
UNC season statistics
Cal season statistics
Statistical comparison
| Statistic | UNC | Cal |
|---|---|---|
| Points per Game | 80.6 | 69.4 |
| FG% | 47.9% | 43.1% |
| 3PT% | 36.4% | 29.4% |
| FT% | 62.5% | 66.5% |
| Rebounds/game | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| Assists/game | 17.3 | 15.7 |
| Blocks/game | 3.8 | 4.5 |
| Steals/game | 10.7 | 6.7 |
| Scoring defense | 56.6 | 59.3 |
| Opponent FG% | 37.5% | 38.8% |
| Opponent 3PT% | 37.5% | 30.7% |
| Rebound Margin | +8.3 | +3.9 |
| Assist/TO ratio | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| Team | League | Overall | NET* |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 11 Duke | 13–0 | 18–6 | 9 |
| No. 9 Louisville | 13–1 | 23–4 | 8 |
| No. 21 North Carolina | 10–3 | 21–5 | 19 |
| N.C. State | 10–3 | 17–7 | 23 |
| Syracuse | 10–4 | 20–5 | 38 |
| Virginia Tech | 9–5 | 19–7 | 44 |
| Clemson | 9–5 | 18–8 | 39 |
| Virginia | 9–5 | 17–8 | 37 |
| Notre Dame | 7–6 | 15–9 | 29 |
| California | 7–6 | 16–10 | 51 |
| Georgia Tech | 6–8 | 11–15 | 86 |
| Stanford | 5–8 | 16–10 | 43 |
| Miami | 4–9 | 12–12 | 57 |
| Florida State | 4–9 | 9–16 | 106 |
| Wake Forest | 3–11 | 13–13 | 123 |
| SMU | 1–12 | 8–17 | 195 |
| Pittsburgh | 1–12 | 8–18 | 259 |
| Boston College | 0–14 | 4–23 | 252 |
* — Through Thursdsay games
Thursday’s results
No. 21 North Carolina 94, SMU 42
Syracuse 84, Pittsburgh 51
Florida State 85, Boston College 76
No. 9 Louisville 86, Wake Forest 67
Clemson 67, Georgia Tech 65, 2 OTs
California 64, Virginia 58
Virginia Tech 79, Stanford 67
Sunday’s games
Pittsburgh at SMU, noon, ACC Network
Miami at Boston College, noon, ACCN Extra
No. 21 North Carolina at No. 11 Duke, 1 p.m., ABC
Virginia at Stanford, 2 p.m., The CW
Clemson at Syracuse, 2 p.m., ACCN Extra
N.C. State at Notre Dame, 4 p.m., ESPN
Virginia Tech at California, 5 p.m., ACCN Extra
Florida State at No. 6 Louisville, 6 p.m., ACC Network
Thursday’s games
No. 21 North Carolina at Virginia Tech, 6 p.m., ACC Network
Notre Dame at Wake Forest, 6 p.m., ACCN Extra
Georgia Tech at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m., ACCN Extra
California at Florida State, 6 p.m., ACCN Extra
N.C. State at No. 11 Duke, 7 p.m., ESPN
Boston College at SMU, 7:30, ACCN Extra
Stanford at Miami, 8 p.m., ACC Network
| Date | Day/month | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 30 | Thursday | L, 91–82 | No. 3 South Carolina in Atlanta | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 90–42 | vs. N.C. Central | 1–0 |
| 6 | Thursday | W, 71–37 | vs. Elon | 2–0 |
| WBCA Challenge Las Vegas | ||||
| 13 | Thursday | L, 78–60 | vs. No. 2 UCLA | 2–1 |
| 15 | Saturday | W, 82–68 | vs. Fairfield | 3–1 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 20 | Thursday | W, 85–50 | at N.C. A&T | 4–1 |
| 23 | Sunday | W, 94–48 | vs. UNCG | 5–1 |
| Cancun Challenge Cancun, Mexico | ||||
| 27 | Thursday | W, 83–48 | vs. South Dakota St. | 6–1 |
| 28 | Friday | W, 85–73 | vs. Kansas State | 7–1 |
| 29 | Saturday | W, 80–63 | vs. Columbia | 8–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge | |||
| 4 | Thursday | W, 79–64 | at No. 4 Texas | 8–2 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 82–40 | vs. Boston Univ. | 9–2 |
| 14 | Sunday | L, 76–66, OT | vs. No. 9 Louisville | 9–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 | Wednesday | W, 84–34 | vs. UNCW | 10–3 |
| 21 | Sunday | W, 93–74 | vs. Charleston Southern | 11–3 |
| 29 | Monday | W, 90–38 | at Boston College | 12–3, 1–1 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 1 | Thursday | W, 71–55 | vs. California | 13–3, 2–1 |
| 4 | Sunday | L, 77–71, OT | vs. Stanford | 13–4, 2–2 |
| 11 | Sunday | L, 73–50 | at Notre Dame | 13–5, 2–3 |
| 15 | Thursday | W, 73–62 | vs. Miami | 14–5, 3–3 |
| 18 | Sunday | W, 82–55 | at Florida State | 15–5, 4–3 |
| 22 | Thursday | W, 54–46 | at Georgia Tech | 16–5, 5–3 |
| 25 | Sunday | W, 77–71, OT | vs. Syracuse | 17–5, 6–3 |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | W, 61–59 | at N.C. State | 18–5, 7–3 |
| 5 | Thursday | W, 53–44 | vs. Clemson | 19–5, 8–3 |
| 8 | Sunday | W, 84–56 | vs. Wake Forest | 20–5, 9–3 |
| 12 | Thursday | W, 94–42 | vs. SMU | 21–5, 10–3 |
| 15 | Sunday | 1 p.m. | at No. 11 Duke | ABC |
| 19 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | at Virginia Tech | ACCN |
| 22 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Pittsburgh | ACCN |
| 26 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | at Virginia | ACCN Extra |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | Noon | vs. No. 11 Duke | ESPN |
| ACC tournament | ||||
| 4–8 | Wed.-Sun | Gas South Arena, Duluth, Ga. | ||
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 20–24 | Fri.-Mon. | First, second rounds | ||
| 27–30 | Fri.-Mon. | Regionals Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, Calif. | ||
| April | ||||
| 3, 5 | Fri., Sun | Final Four Phoenix |
Photos via gocards.com
tarheeltribune.com 