Box Score FINAL SCORE: Idaho 61, Cal 68 
 
RECORDS: Idaho (8-3), Cal (8-3) 
 
IDAHO LEADERS: Ana Pinheiro (14 points), Kyra Gardner and Pinheiro (7 rebounds), Hope Hassmann and Lorena Barbosa and Sarah Brans (2 assists), Gardner (4 steals)
 
NOTABLES: 

• The Vandals led as late as 56-55 in the fourth quarter on the road against Cal
• Idaho outrebounded Cal 41-36
• UI won the turnover battle 10-14
• Gardner's double-double is her first of her career and the third by a Vandal this season
• The Vandals outscored Cal 16-15 in the fourth quarter

BERKELEY, Calif. – The Idaho Vandals women's basketball team nearly upset the Cal Golden Bears on Wednesday night, ultimately stumbling to a 61-68 result against their ACC foe. 

Despite not having Debora Dos Santos, one of the Vandals' most productive players this season, Idaho stayed within striking distance of Cal for the entirety of the game. Sarah Brans connected on a late three-pointer in the first quarter that knotted the contest up at 16. Ella Uriarte paved the way for the Vandal attack in the first quarter, picking up a team-leading five points.

The scrappy Vandal team fought its way through the second frame, picking up four points each from Ana Pinheiro and Mary McMorris, but it was a Hope Hassmann buzzer beater that narrowed the Idaho deficit to four points as the teams headed to the locker rooms. Hassmann led the charge for UI in the second, scoring five of her 11 points in the period. 

Both teams exchanged the lead throughout the early phases of the third quarter, but eventually Cal started to separate from the Vandals. The Golden Bears saw their lead expand to up to 10 points in the closing stages of the third, but a late pullup jumper from Mary McMorris cut into the Cal lead, making the score 53-45 going into the fourth quarter.

Head coach Arthur Moreira lit a fire under his team during the break, and the Vandals came out on fire in the fourth. Idaho surged to an 11-2 run coming out of the gates in the fourth, including four points from Kyra Gardner and Pinheiro, snatching the lead from Cal at 56-55, and forcing the Golden Bears to call a timeout with 6:22 remaining. 

Following the timeout, Cal went on an 8-0 run to take the lead that it wouldn't relinquish from there. At 1:10 in the fourth, Gardner nailed a jumper to slash the deficit to just four points, but the Vandals couldn't get closer from there. Cal closed the game with a 68-61 victory, handing Idaho its third loss of the season. 

UP NEXT: The Vandals continue head to Logan, Utah where they will take on the Utah State Aggies. That contest tips off at 12 p.m. PT and can be seen on the Mountain West Network.  

TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased here or by calling the Vandal ticket office at (208) 885-6466. 

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