adminFollowing an electrifying week of basketball action at Haas Pavilion, Cal couldn’t maintain their momentum on the road Thursday. The California Golden Bears suffered a decisive 84-65 defeat against the Washington State Cougars.
Despite having the chance to secure a season sweep over the Cougars, following their thrilling 81-75 overtime victory on Jan. 20, the Golden Bears faced a formidable opponent in a Washington State team riding a six-game winning streak.
Struggling to find their rhythm early on, Cal only managed to tally two points in the opening seven minutes of play. Despite briefly closing the gap to 4-2, they found themselves trailing 10-2 shortly after. However, a quick 8-0 burst, fueled by Rodney Brown Jr. and Grant Newell’s 3-pointers, helped Cal erase the deficit.
As the first half progressed, the Cougars seized control, outscoring Cal 14-5 in the closing minutes to establish a commanding 36-24 halftime lead. Despite Cal’s efforts to mount a comeback, they were unable to trim the deficit to single digits.
Washington State’s dominance continued into the second half, with a decisive 61-second burst extending their lead to 50-33. Despite a brief scoring surge from Cal, highlighted by Brown and Newell’s 3-pointers, the deficit remained substantial.
Star guard Jaylon Tyson led Cal’s offensive efforts with 18 points, but struggles from key players such as Fardaws Aimaq and Jalen Cone limited their offensive firepower. Aimaq managed only 6 points, while Cone contributed just 3. Brown emerged as Cal’s second-leading scorer off the bench with 10 points and 4 assists.
Cal’s shooting woes persisted throughout the game, as they connected on just 38 percent of their field goal attempts and 35 percent from beyond the arc. In contrast, Washington State boasted a 55 percent field goal percentage and 40 percent from 3-point range, while also dominating the rebounding battle.
Washington State’s offensive prowess was led by Myles Rice with 25 points and Isaac Jones with 21 points. Rice showcased his efficiency with 9-of-16 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, while Jones added 9 rebounds to his impressive performance.
With the loss, Cal’s overall record drops to 10-15, with a 6-8 record in Pac-12 play. They now find themselves tied with Washington for 8th place in the conference standings. The upcoming matchup between Cal and Washington will serve as a crucial tiebreaker, with both teams vying for a higher position in the standings. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Network.
Drkeem
admin
