Cal Women's Basketball: Early success and carrying momentum into ACC play

For those who aren’t aware, the ACC has expanded. There are now three new teams in women’s college basketball that have made the conference more of a powerhouse. In their first year, the California Golden Bears have demanded everyone’s attention. Heading into the new calendar year, they’re ranked top 20 in the AP Poll with a 13-1 record. 

The ACC has featured the same contending teams with chances to win the conference title. Notre Dame is stronger than before with the elite backcourt of Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles. NC State continues to assert itself as one of the best all-around teams in the conference. Then there are other contenders like North Carolina, Florida State, Louisville, and others. 

Cal is inserting itself in the conversation as one of the best team in the ACC

Bears head coach Charmin Smith has continued to build a great culture with the program. The program has come a long way since she took over as head coach in 2019. At one point, Cal looked like the worst team in the country as they had a combined 24 wins in her first three seasons. Slowly but surely, things have changed.

This season, Smith has built a standard for when players put on a California jersey. They must play at their maximum potential and be a team player to succeed. With that formula, the Bears have racked up wins.

There's a different energy with Cal this year. There's more hunger and determination surrounding the team compared to previous years. The Golden Bears play by committee. There isn't necessarily a star player who leads the show for the team. Instead, the team features a great supporting cast who understand their role and thrive at a high level. 

The offense is beautiful for Cal. They’re the sixth-best offensive team in the ACC, averaging 78.3 points. Their half-court offense is set up for success as they display great ball movement and rotation. The goal is for the players to always be in the right place at the right time. They find open shots by coming off screens and finding driving lanes to attack the rim. 

Ioanna Krimili has been the veteran leader for the Golden Bears, continuing to show her versatility on the offensive end. She can make the transition from being the team’s floor general to being the go-to scorer. She's arguably the best shooter in college basketball and has tremendous confidence in her shot. Six seasons into her college career, there isn’t a situation that Krimili hasn’t seen. Her experience has played a huge role in how she has been able to lead the rest of the team. 

Krimili is averaging 16 points per game along with 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 44 percent from the field. Throughout non-conference play, her scoring has been consistent — hitting double digits in 12 of Cal’s 14 games — and she has recorded 3+ assists in nine games. It’s not a coincidence that she continues to have her fingerprints everywhere on the offensive end. Krimili has always been an offensive force and her confidence has been at its highest this season. 

Lulu Twidale is another player who has taken on a leadership role for Cal. The sophomore guard has taken big leaps compared to her freshman year. With a bigger role, Twidale has produced at a high level, averaging 15.5 points on 44 percent shooting. 

People may view Twidale as only a scorer. But she’s more than that. Twidale has a high IQ for the game and has been able to make an impact in multiple ways. On offense, she shows her unselfishness as she’s not afraid to make an extra pass and find an open teammate. Defensively, her size and effort can disrupt a team's half-court offense as she looks to force a turnover.

Other key players for Cal include Ugonne Onyiah, Kayla Williams, Marta Suarez and others. When you take a deep dive into the roster, it’s not a coincidence that they’ve had early-season success. Their team consists of seven seniors who have years of experience at the college level.

It's been a great journey for Cal during the first few months of the season. They set the tone early with a dominant performance against Saint Mary’s, winning by 32 points. Since then, Cal has clinched big wins against competitors like Auburn, Alabama, and even their state rival Stanford. The Golden Bears’ only loss came to Michigan State, a game that went down to the wire. Although they lost, it taught the team how to keep their foot on the gas when they have a big lead. Since that point, the team has found a way to take care of business when building momentum during games.

Conference play will show how elite of a team Cal is. The ACC is one of the best conferences in the country as they feature several powerhouse teams. This is an opportunity for Cal to officially prove themselves as one of the best in the ACC. As the new kids on the block, they should approach every matchup with hunger and look to come out on top.