On Friday, in a matchup against Washington State at home, the Cal women’s basketball team played with just seven players and tied their season high in turnovers with 27. Despite the adversity, the Bears found themselves down by just two points, 71-69, with 12 seconds left with possession of the ball. The inbounds pass goes to freshman guard Asha Thomas, who dribbles for a few seconds before dishing the ball to sophomore forward Mikayla Cowling in the right corner for an open three-point attempt. Cowling’s shot rips the net with under six seconds remaining on the clock, giving Cal (11-9, 2-7 Pac-12) the lead and the eventual win, 74-71.

The Bears’ victory over Washington State (12-8, 3-6 Pac-12) was the result of a strong defensive effort in the first half and scoring contributions from Cowling and junior forward Courtney Range. Range, a 36.6 percent three-point shooter on the season, entered Friday’s game amid a shooting slump, making one of 11 attempts from behind the arc in the last two games combined. Her struggles, however, seemed to vanish the moment the game started, as she converted two triples in the first quarter and finished with 18 points in the game. With both Range and freshman sensation Kristine Anigwe, who led all scorers with 27 points, in offensive rhythm early, the Bears were able to surge ahead and went on a 9-0 run to gain the lead, 13-4. Cal closed out the opening quarter on top, 18-10.

In the second quarter, the Bears’ lead ballooned to double digits as a result of their defense. The Cougars are third in the conference in three-point attempts, so the Bears spread out on the perimeter to restrict open three-pointers. This defensive tactic helped hold Washington State to just 26 points in the first half, while Cal scored 34.

While the Bears built a strong lead early in the game, their play was marred by turnovers. Cal recorded five turnovers in the first minutes of the third quarter and by doing so, kept the Cougars within striking distance. The Bears’ lead had dwindled to just three points as the clock went past the four-minute mark in the third quarter, when Cowling converted a layup on a baseline drive while also drawing a foul. On the next offensive sequence, Cowling executed an almost identical drive and finished with the same result. Cowling flourished in the third quarter as Washington State’s zone defense was unable to contain her penetration.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Cal was met with a barrage of three-pointers from the Cougars, and its eight-point lead quickly dwindled. With just seven active players, compared to Washington State’s 12-player roster, the short-handed Bears inevitably experienced late-game fatigue and failed to close out on perimeter shots as well as they did to start the night. The Cougars took advantage of Cal’s lethargic defense, and within the span of a few minutes, the game was tied 63-63.

The Bears managed to hold on despite Washington State’s late run and emerged with a win after Cowling’s timely basket put them ahead. Cal’s narrow margin of victory was the result of its depleted roster; playing extended minutes resulted in noticeable fatigue for the players and there was a clear disparity in the team’s defense in each of the two halves. With a 2-7 record in the Pac-12, it will be difficult for the Bears to rise up in the standings if their lack of available bodies continues to impede them.

Kapil Kashyap covers women’s basketball. Contact him at [email protected]