Mason Harrell collected a game-high 21 points, Dylan Dawson buried a key 3-pointer late and Texas State extended California’s season-opening losing streak with a 59-55 nonconference victory Monday night in Berkeley, Calif.
Brandon Davis had 14 points while teammate Tyrel Morgan grabbed a team-high nine rebounds to complement nine points for the Bobcats (3-2), who beat a Pac-12 Conference opponent for the first time in school history.
Devin Askew paced Cal (0-5) with 17 points, including a pair of free throws that got the Golden Bears within 54-53 with 19.7 seconds remaining.
But the Bobcats protected the lead at the free-throw line, with Davis making three of four and Harrell two straight, keeping Cal at arm’s length.
Seeking to avoid tying a 45-year-old school record for longest season-opening losing streak, Cal led by as many as five early in the game, but then went the final 5:06 of the first half without a field goal and the first 5:37 of the second period with just two.
By the time Sam Alajiki hit Cal’s third field goal of the second half at the 14:22 mark, Texas State had already extended its lead to 38-27, completing a 19-5 run that bridged the periods.
The Golden Bears, who led 22-19 before their first-half drought, never led again, but did get within 48-45 with possession of the ball with 4:48 remaining.
But Morgan blocked a Grant Newell layup and Dawson converted it into a 3-pointer at the other end, allowing the visitors to double their advantage.
Harrell hit all seven of his foul shots and Davis six of his eight for Texas State, which had been 0-7 all-time against Pac-12 competition. The visitors outscored Cal 16-10 at the free throw line.
Lars Thiemann put up a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double for Cal, which matched the 0-5 start of its 1977 team.
Cal lost despite outshooting Texas State 41.3 percent to 33.9 percent and outscoring the Bobcats 21-15 on 3-pointers.
–Field Level Media
