Bears Fall In Close Game With No. 24 UCLA, 61-57

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BERKELEY – Grant Anticevich matched his season high with 21 points and California battled No. 24 UCLA to the very end, but the Bruins prevailed in a tight contest, 61-57, Thursday at Haas Pavilion. There were eight lead changes and six ties, and neither team led by more than six points at any point.
 
The result was far different from the first matchup between the schools this season when UCLA won, 76-56, back on Dec. 6 in Los Angeles.
 
Anticevich was the only Golden Bear to reach double figures, shooting 8-for-11 from the floor and making all five of his 3-point attempts to tie the Cal record for most 3-pointers without a miss. The Bears fell to 7-9 overall and 2-7 in conference action.
 
Cody Riley paced UCLA (12-2, 8-0 Pac-12) with 13 points, while Jules Bernard had 11.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UCLA jumped out to a 9-3 lead by the first media timeout, but the Bears responded by coming back to tie the score at 16-all on a 3-pointer from Anticevich with 11:32 left in the first half. At that point, Anticevich was 3-for-3 from the floor for 8 points, and four of the Bears' eight buckets were from behind the arc. When Makale Foreman nailed another triple off a feed from Anticevich, Cal had its first lead at 23-22.
 
The Bears built their lead to 33-27 on a three-point play from Jarred Hyder and were up, 36-32, at the break.
 
UCLA retook the lead early in the second half, but the teams remained close with the lead changing several times. While the Bears' shooting cooled, Anticevich kept up his pace and his layup with 9:24 left drew Cal within 50-49. Anticevich's fifth 3-pointer gave Cal a 55-54 lead with four minutes to go.
 
However, the Bruins proceeded to go on a 5-0 run to move ahead for good. UCLA won the battle on the boards, particularly in the second half, and finished with a 38-23 advantage.
 
UP NEXT
Cal remains at home to host USC on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 5 p.m. PST inside Haas Pavilion. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
 
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