Tag: Sports radio

USC Escapes Berkeley Barely Beating Cal In A Tight 50-49 Game

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USC Trojans running back Austin Jones (6) is airborne for a touchdown over the Cal Bears defensive back Jeremiah Earby (6) in first half action at Cal Memorial Stadium in Berkeley (AP News photo)

Saturday, October 28th, 2023

By Troy Ewers

Berkeley, CA – It’s another PAC-12 matchup for the Cal Bears, but this time it’s against the USC Trojans and their Heisman winning QB, Caleb Williams. This game may be “meaningless” as far as rankings and record, but a win for Cal would be a major example of bragging rights. There was no bragging after this game except the Bears did play a tight game against the Trojans in a 50-49 loss.

The Trojans started off the drive and Caleb Williams showcased real early why he was such a threat. On foot and in the air Williams had USC completely in-sync. After a 69 yard drive the Trojans couldn’t get a touchdown, but they settled for a field goal to get the game’s first points 3-0 USC.

Now a major thing about USC’s first drive is Cal put them in a third down scenario three times and even a fourth down scenario, Caleb still got out of it, until USC got in the red zone and the box was too small to convert. Cal began their first drive, but on their second play, QB Fernando Mendoza fumbled the ball and USC recovered in amazing field position.

Caleb Williams and the Trojans went right back on their assault, this time looking to get than three points and they would get that after five quick plays with a Marshawn Llyod two yard punch in making the game now 10-0 USC.

Ten minutes into this first quarter the Trojans already had 116 total yards, 78 of those yards were passing and 38 were rushing, meaning they were perfectly balanced as an offense in this first quarter immediately putting Cal on notice.

The Bears wouldn’t go down that easy though as they came out swinging the next drive and it was none other than their knockout specialist running back Jadyn Ott who would score on a big 43 yard run. This is Ott’s sixth rushing TD and he really has showcased why he’s PAC-12 and national leader in rushing coming into this game as far as yards per game (100), rushing yards (603), rushing TDs (5), all purpose yards per game (114), and total TDs (6). 10-7.

USC didn’t slow their game down after that Cal touchdown as they went 80 yards in six plays the very next drive and scored on a pass from Williams to Austin Jones and now it was 17-7 USC and there was still a minute to go in the first quarter.

We were in for a thrill ride. The next drive Cal adapted to USC’s fast pace and they adapted quickly feeding off the home crowd as on a three play drive, Ott would score another rushing TD, but this time going 61 yards to the end zone and the place erupted. 17-14. 

The second quarter was underway and the first punt of the game is what followed as USC had to punt for the first time in this game and now it was Cal’s chance to strike while the iron was hot and they did exactly in just eight plays and it was highlighted with another Jaydn Ott touchdown, his third rushing TD of the game, putting his current total to eight rushing touchdowns on the season and this touchdown from Ott put Cal in the lead for the first time in the game. Making it 21-17 Bears.

The Bears knew that if they didn’t keep striking the Trojans would stay on their neck, but Cal kept striking and Mendoza got his first passing touchdown of the game to Trond Grizzell and they scored after only three plays, but they went half the field and now halfway through the second quarter it was 28-17 Cal Bears.

Cal’s defense was just as much a key to this lead as the offense as they forced another punt from USC to give this Bears offense another chance to extend their lead. The Bears couldn’t extend in that drive, but now it was USC’s turn and at this point in the second quarter it was the defenses playing a game of who can mess up first.

The second half came to a close with no change in the score and that’s a testament to the defense having a true stalemate the last three minutes of the half. The USC fans were stunned, but Cal was the talk of the college football world with this 28-17 lead at halftime. 

In a wild way to start the half they replayed a down that was messed up clockwise before the half with one second left on the clock and USC tried to knock down a field goal to chorus of boos and they missed. So the official third quarter started with Cal having the ball like they were going to do anyways, but after the missed field goal the energy and momentum was in Cal’s favor.

The Trojans recovered and got the ball back from Cal and Caleb Williams took matters into his own hands and scored using his feet, but their attempt at a two point conversion failed and now it was 28-23. After another failed drive for Cal, USC was in the driver’s seat, but forced to punt after Cal’s defense contained Caleb Williams.

USC’s defense responded with an interception on Cal’s second play of that drive and now USC had great field position and they used it to perfection. Williams on the first play of the drive threw a 22 yard touchdown pass to Brendan Rice, but missed an extra point and now the Trojans regained the lead 29-28.

On Cal’s next drive it was a true battle and a couple pass interference calls put them in a great spot which was followed by a big Mendoza QB keeper that put them in the red zone. Mendoza ended up scoring a big touchdown when he couldn’t find an open receiver and took it in himself, but on top of that the Bears converted on two point conversion and got the lead back 36-29.

The stadium became rambunctious after Williams was sacked for 23 yards and almost fumbled the ball and now they were forced to punt. Cal went three and out and was forced to punt and now with a minute left in the quarter it was a battle now. Caleb Williams went three and out and the Trojans were back on defense as the quarter ended. 

Fourth quarter started and Cal had the chance to make or break everything in this drive and capitalized with a Mendoza rushing touchdown and the score was now 43-29 which was the biggest lead of the game. Caleb Williams and the Trojans pushed down the field thanks to a 53 yard catch by Marshawn Llyod put them in the red zone and Williams rushed for a one yard touchdown and they got the extra point.

43-36 was the score here and with 11 minutes left in the game this game had a whole crowd at attention. The Bears had big attempts to try to move downfield, but the clamps were put on them and they punted the ball, but the punt was right on the seven yard line and Williams had to go all the way down the field to potentially tie this game up.

When the Trojans were forced to punt Cal returner Jeremiah Hunter received the punt and got a little too crafty trying to shake the Trojans defense, but fumbled and USC recovered in the red zone now with a chance to even the score.

A touchdown was scored when Llyod punched in a rushing touchdown and the score was now tied after a successful extra point, 43-43. The Bears needed to close out this game strong, but one thing you don’t do when trying to close out a game like this is fumble which both teams did on back to back plays.

Cal fumbled and USC recovered, but USC fumbled and Cal recovered right after and this game was more than even it was a “who will make the mistake that closes this out” game. The Bears went four downs, but no luck and they turned it over on downs, now it was USC’s chance.

The first play of this new Trojans drive was a 56 yard run by Lloyd that put them in the red zone and was followed by a touchdown run by Austin Jones and the lead was in USC’s grasp with 3:33 left. 50-43 USC. Fernando Mendoza had to lead this team down the field and it was an unsportsmanlike conduct that saved them and Mendoza was back in the mix.

A third down pass from Mendoza to Hunter kept the drive alive, then followed it with a 23 yard run by Justin Thomas that put them in the red zone and now there was a little over a minute left.

Cal finally got into the end zone with a pass to Jaivian Thomas and then they went for two, but was unsuccessful and the game was deemed over as USC was gonna receive the ball with 58 seconds left. The score was 50-49 and after the onside kick was recovered by the Trojans, the game was over as USC ran the clock out and escaped Berkeley with an extremely close victory.

Kings defeat Jazz 130-114 in Salt Lake City

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By Mary Anne

The Sacramento Kings took on the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. The Kings defeated the Jazz 130-114 at Delta Center. Sacramento improved to 1-0, while Utah fell to 1-0 to open the 2023-24 NBA season.

Harrison Barnes led the Kings with 33 points and four rebounds and was 11-for-16 from the field goal line. Domantas Sabonis recorded 22 points and 12 rebounds. De’Aaron Fox scored 18 points and six assists. Mailk Monk added ten points and seven assists.

The Kings’ starting lineup featured De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis. Fox got his first bucket of the season early in the first quarter. In addition, Sabonis capitalized on a three-pointer opportunity in the first. The Kings ended the first on a 12-4 run and led 32-24 over the Jazz.

The Kings continued to succeed in the second quarter. Chris Duarte made his first regular season bucket, Harrison Barnes poured in the points, and Sacramento went back-to-back from three-point land.

The Kings led the Jazz 72-58 at the end of the first half. Harrison Barnes had 27 points and four rebounds and 10-for-11 from the field goal line and 5-for-5 from the three-point line — the most points in a first half in the opening game of the season by a Kings player since the 1996-97 NBA season, passing Kevin Martin, who had 24 at the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 28, 2009.

The Kings reached the 100-point plateau in the third quarter. Malik Monk’s noteworthy dunk helped the Kings to a 20-point lead, 102-82, with 40 seconds left in the third. The Kings led the Jazz 105-87 after three quarters.

The Kings maintained composure in the fourth quarter. Domantas Sabonis waited patiently around three Jazz defenders to shoot his shot, which hit the rim, late in the fourth. The Kings beat the Jazz 130-114.

Notes
Kings’ injury update
Chris Duarte (left knee) is available, while Trey Lyles (left calf strain) and Jalen Slawson (illness) are out.

Up Next
The Kings will return home to host the Golden State Warriors on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Pacific.

San Jose State Beats Utah State In A Decisive 42-21 Victory At Home

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San Jose State’s Jaime Navarro (54) helps Quali Conley celebrate the touchdown that gave the Spartans a 21-14 lead at Spartan Stadium in San Jose on Sat Oct 21, 2023 (Bay Area News Group photo)

Saturday, October 21st, 2023

By Troy Ewers

San Jose, CA – CEFCU Stadium is the setting of this Mountain West matchup between the San Jose State Spartans (3-5) and Utah State Aggies (3-5). It’s Homecoming week for San Jose State and the Spartans last week picked up their first league victory of the season against New Mexico on the backs of their running backs Kairee Robinson and Quali Conley, who each had 100 plus yards and it was the first time since 2020 two SJSU backs each had 100 yards in a game.

Utah State is coming off a close loss to Fresno State despite their QB Cooper Legas throwing 363 yards and three touchdowns. This matchup pits San Jose State’s 22nd nationally ranked pass defense against the Mountain West leading offense of Utah State. 

SJSU started with the ball and quickly marched down the field on Utah State and in seven plays went 75 yards into the end zone off a ten yard Conley rushing touchdown. 7-0 Spartans. SJSU didn’t have a third down on that drive and it was Conley’s fourth rushing touchdown of the season and on the very next kickoff the Spartans forced a fumble and recovered it in their own red zone and it was set up for them to score again.

That didn’t happen though when Spartans QB Chevan Cordeiro was hit by Devin Dye and the ball popped out and this time the Aggies recovered the ball in opposing territory. Utah State was on the verge of going three and out on this opportunity after the fumble, but a pass interference by DJ Harvey continued the drive.

The Spartans recovered a couple plays later and was intercepted by Jordan Pollard and now SJSU has two takeaways early in the game. Plays later, so did Utah State as SJSU committed their second turnover and it’s the fourth turnover already in the first quarter. During Utah State’s next drive, the Spartans completely stuffed the Aggies and forced them to punt, but the punt was shanked and again SJSU had great field position.

The Spartans capitalized on this field position with a 39 yard drive that was led by Cordeiro and resulted in a touchdown after he hit Kairee Robinson with a four yard pass and this is Cordeiro ninth TD pass of the season. 14-0 SJSU. 

The second quarter started with the Aggies having the ball and they converted on fourth down which kept them alive enough to score a touchdowns. The drive went 12 plays and when Rashul Faison punched in a five yard run and the extra point was good, it was 14-7.

The next drive for the Spartans was another example of their explosive offense led by Cordeiro and the two running backs Conley and Robinson, but no score for the offense, not even a field as they missed that chance as well. Capitalizing off the missed field goal, Utah State’s efficient offense went eight plays and 69 yards in under three minutes.

They wouldn’t end this drive empty handed as McCae Hillstead completed a deep 25 yard pass to Micah Davis to tie the ball game 14-14. The tied score halted momentum for SJSU and after a the third sack for Utah State on Cordeiro, it forced SJSU to punt and a little over two minutes left in the half, the Aggies had the ball and a chance to take the lead.

That chance was squashed for a three and out, which forced Utah State to punt and with 1:24 left in the half, the Spartans had the chance to take the lead. Another three and out forced the Spartans to punt, but the punt was gorgeous and pressed the Aggies in the opposing red zone with 40 seconds left and the clock would run down and that was the end of the first half. Both teams showcased great defense, but also great offense, it just that this canceled out for both teams, they were as equal as equal could be at half. 

The second half started with Utah State having the ball, but after moving the ball down the field a punt was forced and SJSU now was in the driver’s seat. Cordeiro once again was leading the charge as he marched his way down field and then the exclamation point was Conley getting his second rushing touchdown of the night to give SJSU the lead, but on top of that Kairee Robinson achieved 2,000 career rushing yards on that drive.

21-14 Spartans and the three headed monster of Cordeiro, Conley, and Robinson clicked on all cylinders to get that lead. The SJSU defense was also clicking on all cylinders after they shut down the Aggies defense and prevented them from converting on fourth down and Cordeiro was back with the ball in his hands with five minutes left in the third.

In six plays Cordeiro and the Spartans were right back in the endzone, this time after Cordeiro hits linebacker who checked in as full back, Charles Rogers for a 10 yard touchdown pass, 28-14 SJSU and the game was beginning to firmly be in SJSU’s hands as we were approaching the end of the quarter. 

The fourth started with SJSU just running the clock down, but when Utah State had the possession, the chance at a comeback went up in smoke when Jay’Vion Cole picked off Hillstead and now up two touchdowns, SJSU had the ball right outside the red zone.

Cole got his first interception against New Mexico a week ago and now earned his second interception here at such a crucial part of the game. Cordeiro was having a magnificent game already, but on this drive after the pick, he took it up a notch with a 29 yard touchdown pass to Nick Nash that was a dot and the score was now 35-14 after a successful extra point for the Spartans and to the 15,028 in attendance were able to breathe a sigh of relief as the game seemed to be well in hand.

The Aggies weren’t done though as with five and a half minutes left, Hillstead and Jalen Royals connected for a 20 yard touchdown pass and the game was 35-21. It looked like the game was put to bed, but it was up to the Spartans to tuck the Aggies in. Kairee Robinson did exactly that! The man who achieved 2 thousand career rushing yards punched in a one yard touchdown and the game was 42-21 with two minutes left, but the game was clearly over. 

The game ended and the Spartans got their third win of the season and these three wins SJSU outscored their opponents 136-62, but still with five losses and a 2-2 Mountain West record, SJSU’s season wasn’t looking like it was headed to a College Football Playoff game anytime soon. San Jose State’s next game is against Hawaii at Hawaii and the Spartans intend to have a winning conference record after next weekend.

Sacramento Kings report: Kings lose to Warriors 116-115 in preseason thriller

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By Mary Anne

The Sacramento Kings took on the Golden Warriors in the second game of the home-and-home preseason series. The Kings lost to the Warriors 116-115 at Chase Center on Wednesday night. Sacramento fell to 0-4, while Golden State improved to 4-0 and remained undefeated.

De’Aaron Fox led all scorers with 25 points and seven rebounds. Keegan Murray scored 24 points and eight rebounds. Davion Mitchell added 14 points.

The Kings’ starting lineup featured De’Andre Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis. Murray hit a fast three-pointer to help the Kings get on the board first, and Murray led all scorers early on, shooting 3-5 from the field, in the first quarter. The Kings merely led 23-22 at the end of the first.

The Kings continued to pour in the points in the second quarter, but the Warriors hit quite a few three-pointers, such as Andrew Wiggins’ three-pointer, to avoid falling behind by double-digits. The Kings carried a 56-49 lead to the locker room at the end of the first half.

The Warriors initially trailed by more than a dozen, but they picked up the pace and made it a four-point game, 68-64, with 6:08 left in the third quarter before a TV timeout. The Kings, however, made it rain with three-pointers, including Keegan Murray’s three-pointer. The Kings led 91-76 after three quarters.

Kings rookies Malik Monk and Colby Jones showed some range in the fourth quarter. Warriors veteran point guard Chris Paul hit a three-pointer late in the fourth. The game went down to the wire. Warriors star Stephen Curry hit a late three-pointer to make it a two-point game, 115-113, but Warriors power forward Dario Šarić missed a pair of free throws. The Kings’ challenge was tossed out, and the Warriors had the ball for the remaining 10.7 seconds. The Warriors sealed the scoring with a three-pointer for a 116-115 win.

Notes
Kings shooting guard Chris Duarte was out with a left knee injury.

Kings rookie Malik Monk recently talked about his fashion choices in a new episode of the show “NBA Style” on the NBA App. Watch Monk’s recent appearance here.

The Kings will hold their NBA 2K24 3v3 Tournament at Fan Fest on Saturday, October 21. Sign up here.

Up Next
The Kings will return home to host the Utah Jazz on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. Pacific.

Sharks lose 6-3 to Hurricanes

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Photo credit: @SanJoseSharks

By Mary Anne

The San Jose Sharks continued their four-game homestand with game No. 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. The Sharks lost 6-3 to the Hurricanes at SAP Center. San Jose fell to 0-2-1, while Carolina improved to 3-1-0.

Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 36 saves in a losing effort, while Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta made 12 saves before exiting the game. Frederik Andersen made one save in relief of Raanta.

The Sharks drew first blood. Fabian Zetterlund helped the Sharks to an early 1-0 lead with a wrist shot 3:14 into the opening period. Tomas Hertl collected the lone assist on Zetterlund’s goal.

The Hurricanes tied the game 1-1. Seth Jarvis fired a wrist shot on the power play for a power play goal 4:06 into the first period. Michael Bunting and Teuvo Teravainen collected the assists on Jarvis’ game-tying goal.

The game was tied 1-1 after 20 minutes. The Hurricanes outshot the Sharks 18-5.

The Hurricanes took a 2-1 lead. Jaccob Slavin scored an unassisted goal, a short-handed one off a wrist shot, at 8:52 of the second.

The Hurricanes’ lead was short-lived. The Sharks tied the game 2-2 just 19 seconds later. Filip Zadina fired a wrist shot on the power play for a power play goal at 9:11 of the second period. Fabian Zetterlund collected the lone assist on Zadina’s game-tying goal.

The Sharks regained the lead 3-2. William Eklund fired a wrist shot on the power play for a power play goal at 16:06 of the second period. Henry Thrun and Tomas Hertl collected the assists on Eklund’s go-ahead goal.

The Sharks led 3-2 through 40 minutes. Carolina outshot San Jose 31-11.

The Hurricanes tied the game 3-3. Stefan Noesen fired a wrist shot on the power play for a power play goal at 9:08 of the third period. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Brady Skjei collected the assists on Noesen’s game-tying goal.

The Hurricanes regained the lead 4-3. Seth Jarvis scored an unassisted goal on a slap shot on the power play at 11:51 of the third period. Brent Burns, a former San Jose Shark, collected the lone assist on Jarvis’ go-ahead goal.

The Hurricanes extended their lead 5-3. Martin Necas fired a wrap-around shot for a 5-3 lead at 14:53 of the third period. Michael Bunting and Brady Skjei collected the assists on Necas’ goal.

The Hurricanes expanded their lead 6-3. Brett Pesce fired a wrist shot for a 6-3 lead at 15:08 of the third period. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Stefan Noesen collected the assists on Pesce’s goal.

The Hurricanes won 6-3. Carolina outshot San Jose 42-16.

Notes
With his 28th save of the game, Mackenzie Blackwood has now made the most saves by any Sharks goalie in his first two games with the team (79). Kaapo Kahkonen made 78 on March 24-31, 2022 (36, 42).

The Sharks’ November Breakaway Pass offers nine games for $89, including the Sharks and Golden State Warriors’ Bay Area Unite Night and SJSharksGaming Night. For more information, click here.

Up Next
The Sharks will wrap up their homestand against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. Pacific.

Oakland Roots Eliminated From A Playoff Spot After 2-1 Loss To El Paso Locomotive FC

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Oakland Roots as much as they tuned up and practiced before the game couldn’t wrap up the regular season with a win against the visiting El Paso Locomotive at Cal State Hayward East Bay on Sat Oct 14, 2023 (@oaklandrootssc photo)

Saturday, October 14th, 2023

 By Troy Ewers

Hayward, CA – It’s the final game of the regular season for the Oakland Roots and it’s been a wild ride. This game against the El Paso Locomotive FC is a win and in scenario for Oakland and it’s exactly the scenario that encapsulates this season for the Roots. The last time Oakland faced El Paso it was a 3-1 victory for Oakland and this outcome is what Coach Delgado wants his Roots team to repeat. 

It wasn’t long until someone scored in the first half and unfortunately for Oakland it wasn’t in their favor. Eight minutes into the first half and Emmanuel Sonupe of El Paso scored one through the legs of Paul Blanchette in an effortless attack and just like that it was 1-0 and the packed Pioneer Stadium went from hype to crushed in seconds, because it felt like it was over before it even started at that point.

That became even more evident after a set piece resulted in a header from Noah Dollenmayer scored in the 14th minute, making this game 2-0 El Paso and from here frustration set in as Roots leading scorer Johnny Rodriguez was awarded a yellow card for tripping Dollenmayer a minute after he just scored.

For 30 minutes into the first half, one thing was for sure for Oakland and that was their attack wasn’t breaking the seal of El Paso’s defense and that carried on through the half, even being stopped on a penalty shot in the 41st minute.

The air was deflated in Pioneer Stadium. The whistle blew to signal the end of the first half and it was 2-0 El Paso, and the Oakland fans were stunned as the thought of the playoffs was fading away. 

The Roots weren’t going down lightly, they had heart coming out of halftime as two minutes into the second half Anuar Pelaez scored an amazing butterfly kick for a goal for the Roots and this was the shot of adrenaline to the arm for Oakland that they needed.

It was 2-1 with a lot of time on the clock and the fans were back in. El Paso was fighting for playoff hopes as well if there was a draw, El Paso would be in the playoffs, if El Paso wins they’re in the playoffs, it was up to Oakland to determine the fate of the playoff picture.

As substitutions started to come in, the fear of time came into play for Oakland. Five minutes left in the game before stoppage time and the fans were on the edge of their feet, it felt like it could go either way. The Roots had attempt after attempt, but with four minutes of stoppage time the mountain was too high to climb.

The two goals in the first half for El Paso were all that was needed to stop Oakland in their tracks and in stoppage time, a red card for the Roots was the nail in the coffin, there was no comeback story. El Paso slowed everything down and wasted time all the way until the final whistle sounded. 2-1 El Paso 2-1 and the Roots were eliminated from a chance at the playoffs. 

It was a fun season for the Oakland Roots, but it wasn’t enough to make it to the dance. The Roots had players like Johnny Rodriguez and Paul Blanchette who were league leaders in their respective categories and fought every single game, but not being able to close it out when it mattered resulted in Oakland missing a run in the postseason.

Robinson’s hat trick helps San Jose State defeat New Mexico 52-24

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Photo credit: @SanJoseStateFB

By Mary Anne

The San Jose State Spartans took on the New Mexico Lobos on Saturday. Thanks to Kairee Robinson’s hat trick, the Spartans snapped their three-game losing skid with a 52-24 win over the Lobos at University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M. San Jose State improved to 2-5, while New Mexico fell to 2-4.

The Spartans were in the house and on lock, but were unable to score first. The Lobos scored first. Luke Drzewiecki kicked a 41-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 5:06 left in the first quarter.

The Spartans trailed 3-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Spartans evened the score to start the second quarter. Justin Stearns scored on a seven-yard blocked punt return for a touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point to tie the game 7-7 at 14:20 of the second.

The Lobos regained the lead. Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for a seven-yard rushing touchdown. Luke Drzewiecki kicked an extra point to give the Lobos a 10-7 lead with 6:31 left in the second.

The Lobos’ lead was short-lived as the Spartans regained the lead. Kairee Robinson ran for a 35-yard rushing touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point to help the Spartans to a 14-10 lead with 4:23 left in the second.

The Lobos regained the lead again. Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for a four-yard rushing touchdown. Luke Drzewiecki kicked an extra point to make it a 17-14 game with just 31 seconds left in the second.

The Spartans trailed the Lobos 17-14 at the end of the first half.

The Spartans opened the second-half scoring. Spartans quarterback Chevan Cordeiro threw a touchdown pass to Kairee Robinson, who ran for a 55-yard rushing touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point for a 21-17 lead at 14:41 of the third quarter.

The Spartans added to their lead. Chevan Cordeiro threw a touchdown pass to Nick Nash, who ran for a 54-yard rushing touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point to make it 28-17 with 7:39 left in the third quarter. Halvorsen kicked a 39-yard field goal to extend the Spartans’ lead to 31-17 with 4:16 left in the third. Kairee Robinson ran for a 19-yard rushing touchdown to expand the Spartans’ lead to 38-17 with 3:05 left in the third.

The Spartans led 38-17 at the end of three quarters.

The Spartans scored first in the fourth quarter. Kairee Robinson ran for a 19-yard rushing touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point to give the Spartans a commanding 45-17 lead at 14:03 of the fourth.

The Spartans widened their lead late in the fourth quarter. Quali Conley ran for a three-yard rushing touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point to make it 52-17 Spartans with 6:05 left in the fourth.

The Lobos had the last word, but it was too little, too late. D.J. Washington scored a 21-yard rushing touchdown off a pass from Lobos quarterback Devon Dampier. Luke Drzewiecki kicked an extra point to cut the Spartans’ lead to 52-24 with 1:25 left in the fourth quarter.

The Spartans defeated the Lobos 52-24.

Notes
A close-up of the Spartans’ Saturday uniforms can be found here.

Kairee Robinson’s 35-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter was his eighth of the regular-season and 21st of his career. Robinson has now scored in every game he has played in this season. Also, Robinson’s 19-yard rushing touchdown was his third of the game for the hat trick.

Up Next
The Spartans will return home to host the Utah State Aggies on Saturday, October 21, at 4:00 p.m. Pacific.

Cal suffers blowout loss to No. 16 Utah 34-14

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Photo credit: @CalFootball

By Mary Anne

The California Golden Bears faced the No. 16 Utah Utes on Saturday. The Golden Bears were battle ready and got off to a fast start, but suffered a blowout loss to the Utes 34-14 at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Cal fell to 3-4, while Utah improved to 5-1.

The Golden Bears scored first. Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw a touchdown pass to Jaydn Ott for a 48-yard passing touchdown. Mateen Bhaghani kicked an extra point for a 7-0 lead at 5:41 of the first quarter.

The Golden Bears led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Utes took the go-ahead lead in the second quarter. Ja’Quinden Jackson ran for a three-yard rushing touchdown. Cole Becker kicked an extra point to tie the game 7-7 at 7:56. Sione Vaki ran for a one-yard rushing touchdown. Becker kicked an extra point to give the Utes a 14-7 lead with just 26 seconds left in the second.

The Golden Bears trailed the Utes 14-7 at the end of the first half.

The Utes poured in the points to start the second half. Cole Becker kicked a 23-yard field goal to extend the Utes’ lead to 17-7 at 10:35 of the third quarter. Bryson Barnes ran for a four-yard rushing touchdown. Becker kicked an extra point to expand the Utes’ lead to 24-7 with 9:11 left in the third.

The Golden Bears responded to make it a ten-point game. Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw a touchdown pass to Taj Davis, who ran for a 24-yard rushing touchdown. Mateen Bhaghani kicked an extra point to cut the Utes’ lead to 24-14 with 4:21 left in the third.

The Golden Bears trailed the Utes 24-14 through three quarters.

The Utes scored twice in the fourth quarter. Sione Vaki ran for a 72-yard rushing touchdown. Cole Becker kicked an extra point for a 31-14 lead with 6:51 left in the fourth. Becker capped off the scoring with a 38-yard field goal to make it a 34-14 game with 1:57 left in the fourth.

The Golden Bears lost to the Utes 34-14.

Notes
Find out this week’s Cal captains here.

Get to know the Cal starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza here.

Up Next
The Golden Bears have a bye week before hosting the No. 10 USC Trojans on Saturday, October 28, at TBD.

Kings lose to Lakers 109-101 in second preseason game

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Photo credit: @LakersNation

By Mary Anne

The Sacramento Kings faced the Los Angeles Lakers for their preseason game No. 2, the battle of NorCal vs. SoCal, on Wednesday night. The Kings lost to the Lakers 109-101 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Sacramento fell to 0-2, while Los Angeles improved to 2-1.

De’Aaron Fox led the Kings in scoring with 18 points, six assists, and three rebounds. Domantas Sabonis added ten points, 15 rebounds, and five assists.

The Kings’ starting lineup featured De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Sasha Vezenkov, and Domantas Sabonis. Vezenkov’s pregame buckets were spectacular, to say the least.

The Kings trailed the Lakers 30-28 at the end of the first quarter. As a result, Sacramento had some work to do, despite their money plays, such as De’Aaron Fox’s mid-range floater, Trey Lyles’ triple, etc.

The Kings took a 51-50 lead at the end of the first half. The highlight of the second quarter was the Kings’ eight three-pointers — the eighth scored by Kevin Huerter late in the quarter.

The Kings picked up where they left off, but the Lakers’ offense sizzled and star point guard D’Angelo Russell was on fire. Harrison Barnes scored another triple to open the second half and Domantas Sabonis recorded a double-double with ten points and 15 rebounds, but the Kings fell behind and trailed the Lakers 90-79 at the end of three quarters.

The Kings made it rain with triples in the fourth quarter. The Lakers’ bench, however, was excited for Alex Fudge’s hustle Wednesday night. Fudge, a small forward and power forward, is a two-way player for the Los Angeles Lakers and the South Bay Lakers. Despite last-minute efforts, the Kings ultimately lost 109-101 to the Lakers.

Notes
When asked about the Kings’ upcoming game against the Lakers, shooting guard Malik Monk told the media: “We got to keep building the chemistry in the second unit, and…keep encouraging each other.”

When talking to the media, head coach Mike Brown said: “What you guys are watching isn’t necessarily how it’s going to play out in the regular season.”

Up Next
The Kings will host the Golden State Warriors at the Golden 1 Center on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Pacific.

Kings lose 112-99 to Raptors in first preseason game

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By Mary Anne

The defending NBA Pacific Division champion Sacramento Kings took on the Toronto Raptors in their first preseason game on Sunday. The Kings lost 112-99 to the Raptors at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Sacramento fell to 0-1, while Toronto improved to 1-0.

Sasha Vezenkov led the Kings with 12 points and two rebounds. Harrison Barnes and Keegan Murray scored 11 points apiece.

Kings head coach Mike Brown talked to the media ahead of the team’s preseason game No. 1. Brown said: “Whoever is out on the floor, we expect them to play our basketball at the highest of high levels.”

The Kings took an early 2-0 lead thanks to Keegan Murray’s flawless finish at the rim. Murray, a power forward, was part of the 2023 NBA All-Rookie First Team. The Kings poured in the points, such as a tough pick and roll between Malik Monk and JaVale McGee, but the Raptors had an offensive boost late in the first quarter. The Kings and Raptors were tied 35-35 at the end of the first.

The Raptors went on a 6-2 run for a 41-37 lead to open the second quarter. The Kings picked up the pace. Domantas Sabonis fought through contact for a three-pointer but settled for a two-pointer to cut the Raptors’ lead to 58-52 late in the second. The Kings trailed the Raptors 69-55 at halftime.

The 2023 EuroLeague MVP, Sasha Vezenkov, entered the game late in the third quarter and scored his first NBA bucket, but the Kings fell behind. The Raptors led 90-67 with a little over two minutes left in the third. The Kings scored eight points to make it a 20-point game with 59 seconds remaining in a back-and-forth game but trailed the Raptors 95-74 at the end of the third.

The Raptors reached the 100-point mark early in the fourth quarter. The Kings trailed 102-77 with 8:06 left in the fourth, pulled within 15 with 2:54 left in regulation, and Jalen Slawson hustled to chase down a block. But the Kings’ comeback attempt ultimately failed and resulted in a 112-99 loss.

The Kings will take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Pacific.