BERKELEY, Calif. — In an exciting matchup on Thursday night, Marta Suarez achieved a double-double with 17 points and 12 boards, while Kayla Williams contributed 15 points alongside six assists and five rebounds, helping No. 24 California fend off the 21st-ranked NC State with a final score of 78-71.

Ionna Krimili also added 15 points to the mix, including a crucial three-pointer over Aziaha James with just under five minutes left in the game after a challenging start in which she had only made two of ten attempts from beyond the arc. Michelle Onyiah rounded out California’s balanced scoring with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

For NC State, James, who leads the team with an average of 16.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, tallied 21 points, while Tilda Trygger posted strong numbers with 19 points and 10 rebounds, though their seven-game winning streak was halted with this loss. Williams secured the victory for the Golden Bears by driving for a layup with 2:13 left on the clock.

The Golden Bears dominated on the boards, holding a 46-39 advantage, and they showcased an impressive 16-0 scoring run during the second quarter after successfully pressuring the Wolfpack into turnovers on four consecutive possessions.

Takeaways from the game show that NC State had previously ranked among the lowest in the nation for turnovers, averaging 15.8% of their possessions but finishing the night with only nine turnovers. They struggled at the start, making just two of their first twelve shots while missing eight in a row.

In contrast, California improved their home record to 10-0 at Haas Pavilion, even though they encountered a rough patch, missing seven consecutive shots during the early part of the first quarter.

A key moment in the game unfolded with just over a minute left in the first half when Williams executed a left spin for a high-banking layup before sinking a three-pointer from the top of the arc just 13 seconds before halftime, allowing the Bears to lead 39-33 at the break.

Highlighting a significant statistic from the game, Suarez contributed to a 25-point second quarter by hitting three straight three-pointers, turning a 22-14 deficit into a 30-22 lead for California.

Looking ahead, NC State is set to visit Stanford on Sunday afternoon, while California will host Florida State on the same day.