Bears Falter Against Deacs

BERKELEY (AP) – Cameron Hildreth had 23 points, Hunter Sallis added 20 and Efton Reid scored 19 to lead Wake Forest to a 76-66 victory over California on Saturday in Haas Pavilion.

Hildreth made 8 of 11 shots with a 3-pointer and 6 of 7 free throws for the Demon Deacons (18-6, 10-3 ACC), who upped their win streak to three by sweeping the ACC’s West Coast schools. Sallis added eight assists and Reid hit 8 of 9 shots with two 3-pointers. Wake Forest opened the road trip with a 79-73 victory over Stanford on Wednesday and has won 9 of its last 11 games.

Jeremiah Wilkinson had 21 points – the sixth game of his rookie season with 20-plus points – to pace for the Golden Bears (12-12, 5-8). He made three 3-pointers and was 10 for 11 at the foul line. Jovan Blacksher Jr. had 12 points and Andrej Stojakovic scored 10. Mady Sissoko added nine points and 10 rebounds.

Reid, Hildreth and Sallis each scored nine before halftime, accounting for all but four of Wake Forest's 31 first-half points. Blacksher had nine points on 3-for-4 shooting from 3-point range to get Cal within two at halftime.

Wilkinson made two free throws for Cal to tie it five minutes into the second half, but Omaha Biliew answered with an inside score and Reid added a 3-pointer in an 8-0 run as Wake Forest moved in front 50-42. Wilkinson buried a 3-pointer to end the run, but that was as close as the Bears would get.

Cal had 13 turnovers, 12 of which were Wake Forest steals. The Deacs scored 13 points off turnovers and outscored the Bears in the paint 48-16.

UP NEXT

Cal is back East next week to face No. 2 Duke on Wednesday and Georgia Tech on Saturday.

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