Field Level Media
Feb 26, 2021
Roman Silva's 15 points led three players in double figures Thursday night as Oregon State squeaked out a 59-57 Pac-12 Conference win over California in Berkeley, Calif.
Ethan Thompson added 12 and Jarod Lucas scored 10 points as the Beavers improved to 12-11 overall and 8-9 in the conference despite not making a field goal in the final four minutes. They scored the first eight points of the second half and never relinquished the lead, shooting 52 percent after halftime.
Matt Bradley pumped in a game-high 20 points on 7 of 11 shooting for the Golden Bears (8-18, 3-16), while Andre Kelly chipped in 15, 11 in the first half. But Bradley fumbled away Cal's last chance to tie or win the game, losing his dribble in the frontcourt and turning the ball over just before time expired.
Neither team scored after Kelly sank two free throws with 1:33 left in the game. In fact, the Golden Bears never even squeezed off a shot on their last two possessions.
The teams combined to make just 2 of 27 3-point shots. Oregon State misfired on all 10 of its attempts from distance.
California spent the game's first five minutes carving up Oregon State. The Golden Bears scored on seven of their first eight possessions, establishing a 14-2 lead at the 15:13 mark when Grant Anticevich canned a pullup jumper.
The Beavers still trailed by 10 with 6:42 left in the half after Makale Foreman connected on a jumper, but finally found traction on both ends. They rattled off eight straight points in less than three minutes, pulling within 26-24 on Dearon Tucker's jump hook.
A Cal timeout dammed up the Beavers' inside attack. They managed just one more field goal for the half's remainder, enabling the Golden Bears to create a bit more working margin. When Bradley made two foul shots with 15 seconds remaining, it gave the home team a 33-28 edge at the break.
--Field Level Media