BERKELEY, Calif. (SMU) – The SMU women's basketball program fell 78-34 on the road to Cal on Sunday in the team's 2025-26 regular season finale.

SMU (9-20, 2-16 ACC) struggled to find offensive consistency throughout the game. That did not stop the team from fighting until the end but the Mustangs were unable to keep pace with California (18-13, 9-9 ACC), who let it fly from beyond the arc, making 15 three pointers in the game.

The Mustangs shot 20% from the floor and did hold the advantage on the offensive glass 15-13 over Cal, but it was not enough as the Golden Bears shot 45% from the floor and 50% from three-point range to grab control of the game early and hold on for the win.

SMU finished the game with nine steals, bringing its season total to 301, the most steals in a single season since the 2012-13 season (328). After tallying five blocks in the game, SMU has now totaled 132 blocks this season, the most since the 2017-18 season (148).

The Mustangs also made one three-pointer, bringing their season total to 180, the third most in a single season in school history and the most since the 2009-10 season (186).
Senior Miriam Ibezim led the SMU scoring season high 11 points and hauling in a team high nine rebounds in her final game as a Mustang. Sophomore Zahra King finished her night with nine points and went 3-of-4 from the line.
 
Senior Grace Hall, playing in her last game as a Mustang as well, recorded four blocks, her third game this season, achieving the feat.
 
Both teams traded buckets early, and Cal held a slight advantage midway through the period. Cal used a 9-0 run to push its lead to double digits with three minutes left in the quarter. Hall ended the run by hitting her first three of the game as Cal made their final three shots of the quarter to lead 22-10 at the end of the first. Cal's Lulu Twidale scored 12 points and was 4-of-5 from three-point range in the period.  
 
Ibezim led the charge for the Mustangs in the second quarter, scoring five points. Cal continued to hit shots from beyond the arc as SMU tried to keep pace. Cal led 40-20 heading into the half. Ibezim and King paced SMU with six points each in the first half as the Mustangs shot 27% from the floor. Cal went 8-of-15 from three-point range in the half, allowing the Golden Bears to grab control of the game.
 
Both teams had a hard time scoring to start the second half, combining for seven points in the first five minutes of the third. Cal picked up the offensive pace, going on a 7-0 run in the second part of the quarter before Ibezim answered for SMU. The Golden Bears three point barrage continued as they made four in the third and led by 33 heading into the fourth.
 
Cal's elite perimeter shooting continued in the fourth despite SMU's best efforts to come back in the game as the Golden Bears cruised to the victory.
 
// OTHER NOTES  

• In her first season at SMU, head coach Adia Barnes is now 9-21 and 178-135 overall in her career (10^th season).  

 
// KING'S COURT   

• Zahra King scored nine points in the game.
  • Zahra King entered the game third among ACC guards in field goal percent (44.0%) and 10^th in the ACC overall.  
  • King also entered the game 10^th in the ACC in total points (424), 12^th in points per game (14.6), and 11^th in total field goals made (157).

 
// 3-POINTERS  

• SMU made 1 three-pointers
  • SMU entered the game 10^th in the ACC in three-point percentage (31.9%)
    • SMU has made 180 three-pointers this season, the third most in a single season in program history. The most in a single season since the 2009-10 season (186). 

 
// STEALS / TURNOVERS 

• SMU ended the game with 9 steals.   
  • SMU entered the game ranked 3^rd in the ACC / 60^th in the NCAA in steals per game (10.1) 
  • SMU has now totaled 301 steals this season.  
    • Entered the game 3^rd in the ACC in total steals.  
    • Most steals in a single season since the 2012-13 season (327).
• SMU forced 15 turnovers 
  • SMU has now forced 504 turnovers this season  
    • Entered the game 6^th in the ACC in turnovers forced per game (16.9) and in 6^th in total turnovers forced.  
    • It is the most turnovers forced in a single season since the 2019-20 season (550)

// BLOCKS  

• SMU had 5 blocks  
  • Entered the game 6^th in the ACC / 42^nd in the NCAA in blocks per game (4.4) 
• SMU has now totaled 132 blocks this season, the most since the 2017-18 season (148)
  • Anaya Brown had 1 block
    • Brown entered the game ranked 8^th in the ACC in total blocks (41) and 10^th in the ACC in blocks per game (1.41).    
  • Grace Hall had 4 blocks
    • Third game this season with 4 blocks
    • Hall entered the game ranked 10^th in the ACC in total blocks (38) and 9^th in the ACC in blocks per game (1.46).  
• Brown and Hall are the only pair of teammates in the ACC this season to rank inside the top 10 in the conference in total blocks this season.