Cal Bears guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) takes the ball up the floor against the Sacramento State Hornets guard Julian Vaughns (24) and guard Emil Skytta (10) at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Sun Nov 24, 2024 (Cal Bears X photo)

Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024

Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, California

Sacramento State Hornets 77 (1-4)

California Golden Bears 83 (5-1)

By Stephen Ruderman

BERKELEY–The Bears are now off to a 5-1 start, but it was much tougher for them than anticipated, they battled through a wild game to pull off a 83-77 win over the Sacramento State Hornets at Haas Pavilion.

The Bears returned home from their first road trip to beat the Air Force Falcons Thursday night by a final of 78-69. Today, they welcomed in the Sacramento State Hornets, who came into today’s game at 1-3. The matchup seemed to be an easy one for the 4-1 Bears, but that would hardly be the case.

Cal got off to a fast start, as Christian Tucker hit a three right out of the gate. Emil Skytta was fouled and hit the first of two from the line to put the Hornets on the board, and then Mady Sissoko was fouled and hit both from the line to extend Cal’s lead to 5-1.

The Hornets then scored nine unanswered points to take a 10-5 lead, as Skytta led the way with a pair of layups, and Jacob Holt hit a three. After being fouled and hitting both shots from the line to make it 12-7, Skytta had scored seven of the Hornets’ first 12 points.

The Bears charged right back to score nine unanswered points of their own to go ahead 16-12. Jeremiah Wilkinson, fresh off his 23-point night on Thursday, checked in and hit a jumper and a layup, and Andrej Stojakovic hit all three from the line after he was fouled going for three. Lee Dort then slammed one down.

Joshua Ola-Joseph then hit a pair of threes, and Cal started to pull away, as they went up 27-18. The Bears would make it a 12-point game at 36-24 after a layup by Stojakovic with 4:04 to go, and they seemed to have this game under control.

However, the Hornets came out of nowhere to go on a 9-1 run, and that cut the Bears’ lead to just four at 37-33. Cal got a brief reprieve when Ola-Joseph was fouled going for three and hit all three from the line, and the Bears went into the half up 40-33.

The Hornets kept their momentum going into the second half, as Holt scored seven points in the first two minutes and 34 seconds, and the Hornets came back to tie it at 43-43. The next few minutes would be back and forth with Sac State taking the lead, and the Bears taking it right back.

The Bears would then pull away again, as they opened their lead all the way up to 15 at 73-58 with 5:52 to go. However, Sac State would charge back once again, as they went on a 17-7 run to close the deficit to 80-75 with 28 seconds to go.

The Bears would end up winning it by a final of 83-77. The game was much closer and tougher for the Bears than expected, but a win is a win nevertheless, and they are now off to a 5-1 start.

The Bears will close out the homestand when they take on the Mercyhurst Lakers on Wednesday. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m.