Bears Dealt First Loss Of Season
NASHVILLE – California could not overcome a turnover-prone performance and was handed its first loss of the season at Vanderbilt, 85-69, on Wednesday night at Memorial Gymnasium.
The Golden Bears (2-1) turned the ball over a season-high 20 times, including 12 in the first half, and never led against the Commodores, who remained undefeated on the season at 3-0. Andrej Stojakovic led four Bears in double figures with 17 points, while BJ Omot, DJ Campbell and Jovan Blacksher added 15, 12 and 11, respectively.
Omot scored nine consecutive points in the first half to pull Cal within a point, 17-16, but Vanderbilt regained separation with a 15-2 run. The Bears entered the break trailing 49-31, with the Commodores generating 20 points off Cal’s 12 first-half turnovers.
Cal cut its deficit to nine points, 61-52, by the 12:39 mark of the second half on a three-point play by Rytis Petraitis followed by a jumper from Omot, and later brought it back to a 10-point game, but could not get closer. The Bears outscored Vanderbilt 38-36 in the second half and won the rebounding battle 38-33, but the Commodores finished the game shooting 52.2% from the floor (35 of 67).
Jason Edwards scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half and Devin McGlockton added 16 points for Vanderbilt.
Associate head coach Adam Mazarei served as acting head coach in place of Mark Madsen, who missed the game following the birth of his and his wife’s fifth child earlier this week. Mazarei, is in his second season on staff at Cal, was a member of the Vanderbilt coaching staff from 2019-23.
UP NEXT
Another road test awaits the Bears at USC on Sunday. The two former Pac-12 Conference foes will tip off at 6:30 p.m. PT at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.
SUPPORT THE BEARS
Tickets for the 2024-25 campaign can be purchased by visiting CalBears.com/Tickets, calling 800-GO-BEARS (462-3277) or emailing goldstandard@berkeley.edu. Fans can support the Golden Bears through the Cal Men's Basketball Excellence Initiative or the California Legends Collective.