Peterson's Career Night Not Enough To Knock Off California

Friday, March 1

Seattle, WA

7:00 PM

University of Washington

9-19, 2-14Pac12

California

17-11, 8-9Pac12

California

Washington

Photo by: Red Box Pictures

Peterson's Career Night Not Enough To Knock Off California

March 01, 2019 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

SEATTLE --- Missy Peterson scored a career-high 23 points while Amber Melgoza contributed 22, but despite a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, Washington was unable to overcome a bad third in a 70-65 loss to California at Alaska Airlines Arena on Friday night.

The Huskies (9-19, 2-14 Pac-12) had a solid game, shooting 42% from the field and committing a season-low six turnovers. But the Golden Bears (17-11, 8-9 Pac-12) survived thanks to 51% shooting and a few timely baskets to avoid the upset.

Peterson had a career night, scoring 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting including a career-high five from three-point range on six attempts. She nearly outscored Cal in the fourth quarter, tallying 10 of her 23 points over the final 10 minutes while the Golden Bears would score 13.

Melgoza added 22 points in the game, scoring 20+ points for the 15th time this son and ninth time in 16 Pac-12 games on the year.

Freshman Darcy Rees added nine points, five rebounds and two blocks while playing in the low post against the best center in the country in Kristine Anigwe. Anigwe, who had 20 points and 18 rebounds, also committed six turnovers and was held under her season average of 23 ppg—fifth-best in the NCAA.

The game came down to three-and-one-half minute stretch in the third quarter. After trailing by two at 37-35, the Golden Bears opened the third quarter on a 16-2 run, taking a commanding 53-37 lead. Washington would battle back in the fourth, cutting the lead to 13 at the end of the quarter and using a 11-2 run to cut the deficit to 60-56 with 7:28 to play. Washington would again close the gap to three on a Rees jumper with 4:28 left but could get no closer.

Cal jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead before Missy Peterson got the Huskies on the board with a three from the corner on a great dish from Melgoza. That would key an 11-2 run by the Huskies to give UW an 11-9 lead on a Mai-Loni Henson three-pointer at the 4:25 mark. The teams would go back and forth over the next two minutes until Cal got a banked in three at the end of the quarter to take a 23-19 lead after one. Washington shot 57.1% in the quarter, connecting on 8-of-14 from the field while Cal hit 9-of-15 including 5-of-7 from three-point range.

Rees opened the second quarter with a bucket followed by a defensive stop and bucket from Melgoza to quickly tie the game back up at 23-23 just 45 seconds in. After trading buckets, the Huskies took back the lead at 28-27 with 5:45 to go in the quarter on a nice bucket by Johnson off an in-bound pass from Peterson. But Cal answered back with a three then got a fast break jumper to extend the lead back to four at 32-28 one minute later. Peterson again answered back with a three-pointer to cut the deficit back to one with 3:40 to go and the teams went back and forth the rest of the quarter until a bucket by Melgoza capped the scoring with 38 seconds left in the half with Washington trailing 37-35 at the break.

Cal came out firing to start the second half, hitting its first four shots from the field while holding the Huskies to just a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 47-37 two minutes in. Out of a timeout, the Golden Bears kept the run going, taking a 53-38 lead before the Huskies got their first field goal of the quarter thanks to a driving floater by Khayla Rooks at the 4:57 mark. After the media timeout, Peterson drained a long three to cut the deficit to 10 at 53-43. But Cal would drain a three-pointer on the next possession and get a bucket on the other end to stretch the lead back up to 13 as the Bears led 58-45 after three quarter. The Huskies would connect on just 3-of-17 from the field in the third quarter while Cal connected on 9-of-14, outscoring Washington 21-10 in the period.

Washington came to life to start the fourth quarter with Melgoza opening the period with a corner three to bring the game back to 10. Still down by 10 nearly two minutes later, Peterson hit a three-pointer from the top of the key followed by a three-point play by Melgoza to make it 60-56 with 7:28 remaining. Cal answered back with four quick points, but the Huskies kept the run going as Peterson hit a three from the top followed by a reverse layup from Rees to close to within three at 64-61 with 4:28 to go. Down four with under two minutes to play, Jenna Moser drew a charge, giving the Huskies a chance trailing 67-63. But despite having three shots on its next possession, Washington could not make one fall and Cal hit its free throws down the stretch to survive.

Asha Thomas added 16 points for the Golden Bears including a dagger of a three-pointer just after the Huskies cut the deficit to three in the fourth quarter. Jaelyn Brown and Kianna Smith each added 11 points for the Bears.

Washington has had Cal's number in four of the last five games, but just hasn't been able to get close enough to pull out the victory. Despite losing the last five to the Golden Bears, the Huskies have been within nine in four of those games including a three-point loss in the first round of the 2018 Pac-12 Tournament.

The Huskies close out the regular season on Sunday, hosting No. 7 Stanford at 2:00 p.m. After the game, Washington will honor its three seniors—Jenna Moser, Hannah Johnson and Deja Strother—in a senior day ceremony.