
Idaho Vandals

California Golden Bears
Highlights
Preview
BERKELEY, Calif. (Interstat) — Two teams riding high off dominant weekend wins will meet Wednesday night when the Idaho Vandals visit the California Golden Bears in a nonconference women’s basketball matchup at Haas Pavilion. Idaho (8-2) enters on a two-game win streak, most recently routing Denver 84-54 on Saturday. The Vandals’ offense has been potent, scoring 80 or more points in six of their eight victories. Their two losses came by a combined six points, including a 92-89 home defeat to Oral Roberts on Dec. 3. California (7-3) responded from a narrow road loss at Missouri with a resounding 92-42 victory over San Jose State on Sunday. The Golden Bears have relied on a stout defense at home, holding opponents to an average of 52.3 points in their four wins in Berkeley this season. A key matchup will feature Idaho’s Kyra Gardner against California’s Lulu Twidale. Gardner, coming off a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double at Denver, has been a consistent force, averaging 14.3 points and 7.1 rebounds over her last seven games. Twidale provides dynamic scoring for Cal, averaging 17.1 points in her last seven contests and dropping 20 points in just 24 minutes against San Jose State. The game represents a final tune-up for both teams before significant upcoming stretches. Idaho opens Big Sky Conference play on Jan. 3, while California begins Atlantic Coast Conference action on Jan. 1 at North Carolina. First, the Golden Bears face a major test against Stanford on Sunday. Wednesday’s contest will test Idaho’s high-scoring attack against a California defense that has been formidable on its home floor. The Vandals will need to replicate their recent balanced effort, which saw Hope Hassmann (14 points) and Ella Uriarte (10 points) join Gardner in double figures against Denver. For Cal, sustaining the offensive efficiency from the San Jose State win, where Sakima Walker (16 points) and Naya Ojukwu (19 points) provided strong support for Twidale, will be crucial. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST.