Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024

Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, California

Colorado Buffaloes 78 (11-5 Overall; 2-3 Pac-12)

California Golden Bears 82 (6-10 Overall; 2-3 Pac-12)

Cal Bears guard Jaylon Tyson (20) celebrates guard Rodney Brown Jr (1) standing to their right is the Colorado Buffaloes guard KJ Simpson during second half action at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Wed Jan 10, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Stephen Ruderman

Magic struck tonight at Haas Pavilion, as Jaylon Tyson scored 30 points to lead the Bears to a miraculous 82-78 comeback win over the Colorado Buffaloes after the Buffaloes led the Bears by 20 points in the first period.

Following a well-fought win over the UCLA Bruins in Los Angeles Saturday night, the Bears returned home to host the Colorado Buffaloes, who came into tonight’s game at 11-4, but losers of their previous two games. It would be a tough match for the Bears, who are slowly proving that this season is very different from last.

The Buffaloes indeed proved to be a tough match for the Bears, as Colorado stormed out of the gate to a 10-0 lead in the game’s first two minutes and 41 seconds. Eddie Lampkin led the way with six of the 10 points, as Tristan Da Silva and J’vonne Hadley scored the other two.

Jaylon Tyson finally got the Bears on the board after hitting a pair from the line, but the Buffaloes did not let up. Colorado opened their lead up to 22-7 with 10:13 remaining in the first period, and they just kept going in what was an overall team effort, as a three by Da Silva made it 40-20 with 2:09 remaining.

Grant Newell and Rodney Brown Jr. closed out the first period for the Bears with threes, and Cal went into the half down 40-26.

J’vonne Hadley hit a layup for Colorado to begin the second period, and despite the Bears’ finish to the first period, the Buffaloes continued their onslaught after the half. Tristan Da Silva hit a three-ball to cap off a 10-5 run for Colorado, which opened their lead back up to 50-31, just two minutes and 42 seconds in. 

However, things started to slowly change. Fardaws Aimaq laid one in, and Tyson hit one from beyond the arc to make it 50-36. Hadley laid one in for Colorado to make it 52-36, but despite a quiet several minutes, the Bears’ kept slowly chipping away at Colorado’s lead.

Jalen Cone hit a three-ball, followed by a jumper by Tyson, and a three from Grant Newell. Rodney Brown Jr. then hit a three of his own, and suddenly out of nowhere, the Bears had somehow made it just a five-point game, as they trailed 52-47 with 11:24 to go.

Cody Williams hit a jump shot for Colorado to make it 54-47, but the Bears just kept coming. Tyson hit a three, followed by a jumper by KJ Simpson of the Buffaloes. Tyson then made a layup, followed by one from the line after he was fouled, and Tyson made another layup to make it 56-55. 

The Buffaloes then had a reprieve. Simpson hit a layup; Eddie Lampkin hit two from the line; and Da Silva hit a jumper to open Colorado’s lead back to 62-56 with 7:09 remaining.

As for the Bears, it was no problem. Keonte Kennedy hit a three-ball; Aimaq laid one in; and Jaylon Tyson slammed one down. Someway, somehow, the Bears had come all the way back from down 20 points to take their first lead of the night, as they led it 63-62 with 5:38 to go.

As the second period began to wind down, the two teams prepared for a bitter fight all the way to the end. Lampkin laid one in to put Colorado back ahead, and Tyson made a pair of free throws to put Cal back ahead. The teams kept the seesaw battle going. Da Silva hit a three to put Colorado back ahead; and Jalen Cone responded with a three to put Cal back ahead.

After the teams switched leads two more times, Lampkin was fouled, and made one of two from the line to tie the game at 70-70 with 2:59 remaining. 

Jalen Cone went for three, and missed, but Tyson got the rebound, and passed it back to Cone, who was good from downtown this time around to give the Bears a 73-70 lead with 2:33 to go. 

There would be no scoring for over a minute, but Jalen Celestine drew the foul, and hit both free throws to put a cushion on Cal’s lead at 75-70. 

The Buffaloes were not going to lose this game without a fight. Colorado responded with a 6-2 run, as Cody Williams hit a layup; drew a foul; and hit his free throw. Tyson slammed one down, but Da Silva, who ended up scoring 20 points on the night, hit one from beyond the arc to make it a one-point game at 77-76 with just 30 seconds to go.

The Bears handed the ball to their man, Tyson, and he drew the foul. Tyson hit both from the line, and then Cody Williams responded with a jumper to make it 79-78. The Bears then gave the ball to Jalen Cone, who drew the foul, and made just one of two from the line.

Down 80-78, the Buffaloes went to Da Silva, who tried to hit a three with four seconds to go, but it missed, and the ball was rebounded by Cone, who drew the foul. Cone hit both shots, and the Bears had completed the miracle, as they had come all the way back from down 20 points to win it, 82-78.

It was an unbelievable night, and yet another indication that the 2023-2024 California Golden Bears are much different from last season’s team that only won three games. In fact, they have already doubled their win total, as they improve to 6-10 on the season. They have also doubled their Pac-12 win total from a year ago, as they are now 2-3 in conference play.

The Bears won their first game at UCLA in nearly 14 years, and then they followed that up with a miraculous come-from-behind win against a Colorado Buffaloes team that had been off to a strong start.

Now, the Bears will head back on the road, this time to Eugene Oregon to play a very powerful Oregon Ducks team in their arena at 5 pm on Saturday. The Bears will once again have their work cut out for them, as the Ducks are 4-0 in conference play, and 12-3 overall. Whether the Bears will have yet another miracle in them remains to be seen.