Sophomore Matt Bradley scored a career-high-tying 26 points to propel host California to a 76-62 upset of 21st-ranked Colorado in Pac-12 Conference basketball play Thursday night.
Cal used a 17-3 run to close out the first half, powered by Bradley's 12 points, including a rare four-point play.
Kareem South added 19 off the bench for the Golden Bears (12-16, 6-9), who beat a ranked team for the first time in five tries this season and won for just the second time in their last seven games.
McKinley Wright IV had 18 points to pace the Buffaloes (21-8, 10-6), who began the night just a half-game out of first place in the Pac-12.
Colorado led 23-21 on a 3-pointer by Lucas Siewert with 8:45 remaining in the first period before scoring just three points the rest of the half.
Meanwhile, Bradley nailed three straight 3-pointers, turning the middle one into a four-point play when he got fouled. He added two subsequent free throws, Joel Brown connected on a 3-pointer and South hit a jumper, completing the run that produced a 38-26 halftime advantage.
Colorado got as close as 47-40 on a Maddox Daniels 3-pointer with still 11:32 to play, but Cal responded by scoring the next nine points to open a 16-point margin at the 9:00 mark.
Bradley and South had 3-pointers in the burst.
Bradley's point total equaled the 26 he put up against Washington State on Jan. 9. He shot 8-for-14 overall and 5-for-7 on 3-pointers.
Cal went 9-for-20 from beyond the arc, outscoring Colorado 27-18. The Buffaloes shot just 6-for-29 on their 3-pointers.
Paris Austin helped the Cal cause with 12 points.
Wright finished 8-for-14 from the field for the Buffaloes, who had won five of their previous seven games. Wright also found time for a game-high-tying four assists.
Tyler Bey had 13 points and Siewert 11 for Colorado, which had beaten Cal 71-65 at home earlier this month.
Colorado was outshot 46.3 percent to 41.0.
--Field Level Media
Colorado | California | |
McKinley Wright IV 18 | Scoring | Matt Bradley 26 |
McKinley Wright IV 4 | Assists | Grant Anticevich 4 |
Tyler Bey 6 | Rebounds | Matt Bradley 6 |
Tyler Bey 3 | Free Throws Made | Paris Austin 6 |
Daylen Kountz 1 | Steals | Kareem South 2 |
Daylen Kountz 1 | Blocks | Kareem South 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Colorado | 62 | 41.0 | 6-29 | 6-9 | 12 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
California | 76 | 46.3 | 9-20 | 17-22 | 9 | 27 | 1 | 4 | 8 |