Cal women's basketball has eyes on March Madness

BERKELEY, Calif. - Cal women's basketball team is coming off their best season in five years under head coach Charmin Smith.

However, the Golden Bears no longer want to be just a feel-good story. Smith is making sure their journey to March Madness will have the team prepped and ready to go.

"We have plenty of opportunities on our schedule with Gonzaga, Michigan State, and Arizona, Alabama, like Vandy, Auburn, I can go on and on. But those are some of the opportunities where we have to get some of those games if you want to be in the tournament," said Smith.

If you like seeing shots from beyond the arch, get your popcorn ready, because graduate guard Ioanna Krimili enters this season as the nation's leader for career 3-pointers.

She even does the same workouts as some of the greats in the big leagues.

"I've been watching Steph Curry. He's always crazy. [Caitlin] Clark is a very good motivation.  Honestly, before games, I always do a warm-up, and it's Steph Curry's warm-up. My coach found out I was doing the same, so I get a lot of shots up," said Krimili.

One of the leaders for the Golden Bears is senior forward Marta Suarez, who actually stated last year that she knew the team would put women's basketball on notice.

She proved to be the team's most versatile player last season after posting 7 double-doubles.

This season, her confidence in her game and her team is so high, that she's sure they will be dancing in March.

"We got big plans, we got big goals to make it to the tournament. That's our expectation, that's our language. We talk about it. I just believe that's how it's going to be, and we just got to put in the work now" said Suarez.

The season tips off on Monday when they will host Saint Mary's at 6 p.m.