Jalen Cone’s five 3-pointers provided the difference in a high-scoring first half and Cal avenged a 2017 postseason defeat with an 83-63 nonconference men’s basketball triumph over Cal State Bakersfield on Monday night in Berkeley, Calif.
Cone, a Northern Arizona transfer, finished with a game-high 23 points for the Golden Bears (2-1), who were coming off a home loss to Pacific.
Cone’s point total included 17 in the first half, helping Cal take a 49-34 advantage into the break. Jaylon Tyson finished with 13 points, 12 rebounds and a game-high seven assists for the Golden Bears.
Kaleb Higgins had a team-high 22 points for Cal State Bakersfield (1-2). The Roadrunners began a two-game trip with a loss to then-No. 21 Southern California on Thursday.
The last time the Roadrunners beat a Pac-12 team, it was Cal in the first round of the 2017 NIT, another game the Golden Bears hosted.
All five Cal starters hit a 3-pointer in the first-half flurry, during which the hosts shot 11-for-21 from deep. Cone’s five successes came in 10 attempts.
Cal State Bakersfield got no closer than nine in the second half.
All but two points of Cone’s total came on 7-for-16 shooting from beyond the arc. The seven threes equaled a career best set five times previously at Northern Arizona.
Cal outrebounded the visitors 45-33.
Fardaws Aimaq added 14 points for Cal, while Devin Askew had 12 and Grant Newell 10.
Higgins’ 22 points came on 7-for-17 shooting from the field. He shot 2-for-4 on 3-point attempts, but his teammates combined for just three hoops from beyond the arc as the Roadrunners were outscored 45-15 from deep.
Modestas Kancleris backed Higgins with 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while Cameron Wilbon had 10 points.
–Field Level Media