Basketball: Cal Golden Bears Keep Tourney Hopes Alive With OT Win Over Colorado
By Phil Watson
Justin Cobbs made two free throws with 21 seconds left in overtime and the Cal Golden Bears survived a couple of missed 3-pointers in the closing seconds to hold off the Colorado Buffaloes 66-65 Saturday at Haas Pavilion, snapping a three-game losing streak and picking up a win vital to their fading NCAA tournament hopes.
The Golden Bears (19-12, 10-8 Pac-12 Conference) rallied from nine points down in the final 8:53 of regulation, actually leading a couple of times in the closing minutes before having to rally at the end.
David Kravish knocked down a jumper with 3:26 remaining that capped a 13-3 run and gave Cal a 55-54 lead and moments later, Richard Solomon scored on the inside to put the Bears back up 57-55.
The Buffaloes (21-10, 10-8) ran off four straight points, taking a 59-57 lead with 50 seconds left on a bucket by Askia Booker.
Cobbs made a pair of free throws with 29 seconds left to tie it and Colorado wasn’t able to get off a final shot before the game headed to overtime.
Cal trailed throughout the extra session until Kravish knocked down a pair of free throws with 58 seconds left to give the Golden Bears a 64-63 lead. The Buffs responded with a driving layup by Booker.
Cobbs missed a jumper but Cal came up with the rebound and Cobbs was subsequently fouled with 21 seconds left. He knocked down both shots and the Golden Bears went back up one.
Xavier Talton missed a 3-pointer with eight seconds to go and Tyrone Wallace grabbed the board and was immediately fouled. But Wallace clanked the front end of the one-and-one and the Buffs had enough time for Booker to get off a 3-pointer that was off target as time expired.
Cobbs socred 21 points for the Golden Bears, who went with an unconventional starting lineup on Senior Day, with Roger Moute a Bidias, Sam Singer and Garrett Galvin starting in place of Kravish, Solomon and Ricky Kreklow.
Kravish and Solomon each checked in with 14 points and 12 rebounds, with Solomon also blocking four shots, and Kreklow handed out six assists.
Xavier Johnson led the Buffaloes with 24 points, Booker added 11 and Josh Scott scored 10. Wesley Gordon grabbed 11 rebounds.
Colorado was 25-for-62 (40.3 percent) overall, 6-for-18 (33.3 percent) from long distance and 9-for-14 (64.3 percent) from the foul line. Cal was 23-for-65 (35.4 percent), 6-for-21 (28.6 percent) and 14-for-19 (73.7 percent).
The Buffaloes had a 45-35 edge on the board, but hurt themselves with 12 turnovers while the Golden Bears committed only five.
The Golden Bears finish the regular-season in a five-way tie for third place in the conference along with Oregon—which upset No. 3 Arizona on Saturday, Arizona State, Colorado and Stanford. Their next action will be in the Pac-12 tournament, which opens Wednesday in Las Vegas with first-round play. The top four seeds will have a bye into Thursday’s quarterfinals.