By Jeremy Kahn

photo credit:AP photo–ASU’s Tra Holder scrambling for the ball during a game with Washington State 1-14-16 couldn’t get the Sun Devils past the Cal Bears on Thursday night at Haas Pavilion

BERKELEY-After a hard fought loss to their archrival Stanford Cardinal on January 14, the California Golden Bears returned to the friendly confines of Haas Pavilion, where they were a perfect 11-0 on the season.

Freshman sensation Ivan Rabb was remarkable, as he scored 20 points, pulled down eight boards and dished off a career-high six assists and the Golden Bears defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils 75-70 at Haas Pavilion.

The 20 points were a career-high for the forward, who attended Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland.

Rabb scored 12 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished off five assists in the first half, as the Golden Bears went into the locker room after the first 20 minutes with a 38-30 lead.

Obinna Oleka led the Sun Devils with xx points, but it was not enough, as the Sun Devils fall to 11-8 on the season, and drop 1-5 in conference play under first-year head coach Bobby Hurley.

Rabb received a lot of help from fellow freshman Jaylen Brown, as the native of Atlanta scored 19 points, as the Golden Bears even their conference record at 3-3, and improve to 13-6 overall on the season.

Brown, who went to Wheeler High School in Atlanta, the same high school as Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored seven points to help Rabb.

Things were looking really good for the Golden Bears in the first half, as they took the lead and never relinquished it.

In the second half, it was a totally different story, as the Golden Bears took a 54-40 lead, but the Sun Devils would not go away, as they went on a 17-5 run to cut the Golden Bears lead down to two at 59-57 with under eight minutes remaining in the game. After Rabb hit two free throws, Savon Goodman got the Sun Devils within two.

It was a big second half for Goodman, as he scored nine of his points after the half.

Andre Spight led the Sun Devils with eight points in the first half, while Tra Holder and Oleka each scored five points.

Rabb came up big for the Golden Bears when they needed it the most at the end of the game, as he hit one of two from the line to give the Golden Bears a one-point lead. After the free throw, Rabb then came up big on the defensive end, as he blocked a Eric Jacobsen shot that turned into free throws for Brown, who split the pair.

Brown then gave the Golden Bears a four-point lead, as he drove the lane for a layup, but the Sun Devils would not go away, as Gerry Blakes hit a corner three to cut the Golden Bears lead down to one with 33.9 seconds remaining.

The Golden Bears were forced to call a timeout after the Sun Devils pressured them in the corner, and they were in danger turning the ball over.

Brown hit two free throws to give the Golden Bears a three-point lead, but Brown fouled out with 18.5 seconds remaining and sent Oleka to the free throw, where he hit the pair.

Jordan Matthews put the game away, as he hit two free throws and then after Holder missed a three-pointer that would have tied it, Jabari Bird hit two free throws to seal the five-point victory.