Sakima Walker #35 of the California Golden Bears grabs a rebound against Milan Brown #0 and Emily Johns #44 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second quarter of the first round of the Women's ACC Tournament between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and California Golden Bears at Gas South Arena on March 04, 2026 in Duluth, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Sakima Walker had 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead Cal past Wake Forest 75-52 on Wednesday in a first-round game at the ACC Tournament.
Second-team All-ACC guard LuLu Twidale added 11 points and seven rebounds, and Gisella Maul and Aliyahna Morris each scored 10 points for the 10th-seeded Golden Bears (19-13).
Mary Carter scored 13 points and Grace Oliver had 10 for the No. 15 seed Demon Deacons (14-17).
There were five lead changes in the first 13 1/2 minutes of play before the Golden Bears went out front for good with a 10-0 run that left them ahead 25-17 in the second quarter.
It was 32-21 at halftime, then Cal blew the game open with a dominant third quarter in which the Golden Bears outscored the Demon Deacons 29-12. Cal shot 56% in the third and went 7 for 7 at the free-throw line.
Cal’s slimmest lead in the fourth was 71-52 with two minutes left after the starters had all come out of the game.
Cal won the regular-season matchup with Wake Forest, 61-52 at Berkeley.
Up next
Cal will play No. 7 seed Syracuse in the second round on Thursday. The winner will face No. 2 seed Louisville in the quarterfinals.
Originally published at Associated Press