Cal Drops Home Contest To SMU
BERKELEY (AP) – Chuck Harris scored 21 points and SMU beat California 81-77 despite blowing a 16-point second-half lead Wednesday night in Haas Pavilion.
Harris was 9-of-12 shooting with three 3-pointers for the Mustangs (21-7, 12-5 ACC), who shot 56%, knocked down 8 of 15 shots from deep and survived 18 turnovers. B.J. Edwards added 18 points and five assists and Samet Yigitoglu had 11 points.
After Cal tied the game with 5 1/2 minutes left, SMU scored the next nine points. Mady Sissoko, who tied a career high with 16 points and added eight boards, scored Cal's last six points in the final minute and it wasn't until Matt Cross sank two free throws with three seconds left that SMU clinched the win.
Jeremiah Wilkinson scored 20 points – his ninth such effort this season – and connected on a trio of 3-pointers. Rytis Petraitis added 12 points for the Golden Bears (12-16, 5-12), who lost their fifth straight game. Cal shot only 39% but was 22 of 32 at the line to the Mustangs' 13 of 20 and used strong offensive rebounding for 21 second-chance points.
The Mustangs led by 16 after Edwards' 3-pointer to open the second half and were still up by 10 when a 15-5 Cal run capped by four Andrej Stojakovic free throws tied the game.
SMU led 42-29 at halftime behind 13 points from Harris.
SMU swept the season series, having beaten Cal 76-65 on Jan. 29 in Dallas.
UP NEXT
Cal hosts Boston College in its regular-season home finale on Saturday. Tipoff at Haas Pavilion is at 7 p.m. PT.
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.