BERKELEY, Calif. – The historic season continues for the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team, the Hawks advancing to the quarterfinals of the WBIT after knocking off California in a 63-61 nailbiter on Sunday afternoon inside Haas Pavilion.
 
For the first time in program history, the Hawks defeated a Pac-12 team on the road as St. Joe's set itself up for a quarterfinal matchup, readying for a rematch against Big 5 foe Villanova on March 28.
 
St. Joe's also moves to 28-5 on the year, building on the winningest season in program history as the Hawks move into the quarterfinals in a postseason tournament for the first time since 2004.
 
 
FIRST QUARTER

• Mackenzie Smith opened the scoring for the Hawks with a drive through the heart of the Cal defense, giving the Hawks an early lead. The Canadian scored four of the Hawks' six points to open the game before picking up her second foul, forcing the guard to the bench.
• With five lead changes over the opening seven minutes, the Hawks built a five-point lead as Laura Ziegler and Chloe Welch hit threes on back-to-back possessions.
• Welch continued a strong start to the quarter, knocking down an off-balanced shot while getting fouled to finish off the three-point play. Welch scored the final nine points of the quarter for the Hawks to give St. Joe's a 20-19 lead after the opening frame.

 
SECOND QUARTER

• The Golden Bears opened the frame with the first three points, but the Hawks stormed to a 9-0 run led by Welch, who scored five of the nine during that span.
• After an answer from Cal, Talya Brugler and Ziegler each were able to add to the lead in the post with back-to-back buckets. Brugler's second basket of the game increased the lead to a first half-high of 12 points.
• The hosts answered with two threes over the final two minutes to cut the deficit in half going into the break.

 
THIRD QUARTER

• The two teams traded three-point plays over the opening three minutes before Smith grabbed her first bucket since the opening minutes of the game to stack on a Ziegler three pointer, giving the Hawks a 43-35 lead.
• Baskets were few and far between over the final seven minutes of the frame, Cal outscoring the Hawks just 5-4 over the stretch as St. Joe's entered the final 10 minutes up 47-40.

 
FOURTH QUARTER

• Cal cut the lead to three points in the first minute, but the Hawks restored the advantage back to seven through the tandem of Ziegler and Brugler.
• A five-point run swing from Ziegler capped off by a layup from Julia Nyström gave St. Joe's a 10-point lead with under three minutes to play, but the hosts didn't give up.
• The Golden Bears rattled off nine points over the next two minutes to force a timeout from head coach Cindy Griffin.
• With under a minute remaining and the crowd getting into it, the Hawks turned to Smith who finished through contact to establish a 60-57 lead with 30 seconds to play.
• A quick play out of the Cal timeout set up a basket underneath to again cut the deficit.
• With her first points since the first half, Welch stepped up to the free throw line to bury both free throws with 17 seconds to play.
• After another basket from the Golden Bears, Welch went one-of-two at the free throw line to put St. Joe's up 63-61.
• The Hawk defense suffocated the hosts on the final possession as Smith launched to get a piece of the three-point attempt from Cal, St. Joe's avoiding the comeback to earn a 63-61 win on the road.

 
GAME NOTES

• Laura Ziegler tied for a team-high 19 points, adding eight rebounds on her afternoon.
• Chloe Welch also added 19 points, with 16 of the 19 coming in the first half. Welch also led the team with four assists, finishing 6-10 from the field.
• Talya Brugler surpassed Erin Shields '14 (1,343) for 10^th in program history in scoring, her 11 points moving her to 1,350 points in her career. The junior was one rebound shy of a double-double, adding three assists to her nine rebounds.
• Mackenzie Smith was the fourth Hawk in double figures, adding 10 points in the win.
• Emma Boslet added six rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes off the bench.
• St. Joe's finished 26-56 (46.4%) from the field, the best shooting percentage in postseason since knocking off Georgia in the NCAA Tournament in 2013-14 when the Hawks also shot 26-56 against the Bulldogs.
• The Hawks limited Cal to just 21-58 (36.2%) from the field and 7-31 (22.6%) from distance. St. Joe's is now 21-0 when holding its opponent under 40% from the field.
• SJU held a 38-31 advantage in rebounds, edging the Golden Bears with an 11-8 advantage in second chance points. The Hawks dominated the paint with a 40-24 margin.
• All 63 points came from the five starters, the third time this season.
• The win over Cal was the first road win against a Pac-12 team in program history, now moving to 7-8 all-time against the conference. St. Joe's is now 1-5 on the road against the Pac-12.
• The Hawks reached the quarterfinals of a postseason tournament for the first time since 2004 when the Hawks were defeated in Ames, Iowa against Iowa State.
• St. Joe's continues its record-setting season, the 28 wins the most in program history after the Hawks broke the 1996-97 team's record of 26 wins.

UP NEXT
The Hawks and Wildcats clash in a Thursday, March 28 matchup inside the Pavilion, with tip scheduled for 7 p.m.