The California men’s basketball team experienced its first home loss of the season at Haas Pavilion, falling 90-70 to No. 16/13 Louisville in both teams’ Atlantic Coast Conference opener. The defeat brings Cal’s record to 12-2 overall and 0-1 in ACC play, while Louisville improves to 11-2 and 1-0.
Louisville established control early by making eight three-pointers in the first half and shooting over 54 percent from the field during that stretch. Cal trailed by as many as 21 points before narrowing the gap through free throws and key baskets, ending the half down 48-34. At halftime, Cal was shooting just over 33 percent and was behind on rebounds, with Louisville holding a 21-14 advantage.
By the end of the game, Louisville had made a total of 14 three-pointers and out-rebounded Cal by a margin of 50-31. The Bears finished with a shooting percentage of nearly 34 percent, making nine shots from beyond the arc and converting on most of their free throw attempts.
Chris Bell led Cal with a team-high 20 points. Justin Pippen added 17 points, Lee Dort contributed 12 points along with nine rebounds—just short of a double-double—and Dai Dai Ames scored 11 points. For Louisville, Ryan Cowell posted a game-high of 26 points including six three-pointers. Adrian Wooley (21), Sananda Fru (12 points, 14 rebounds), Issac McKneely (11), and J’Vonne Hadley (11) also reached double figures for the Cardinals.
“‘They did a good job of executing their game plan,’ Cal head coach Mark Madsen said of Louisville. ‘They came in here and beat us fair and square. We’ve got things to work on. I was proud of our guys for fighting back.’”
Louisville opened with a strong start, scoring ten unanswered points before Dai Dai Ames put Cal on the board with a jumper at just over two minutes into play. Although foul calls favored Cal early on, Louisville maintained momentum offensively throughout much of the first half.
Cal narrowed deficits at several moments but struggled to keep pace as Louisville continued hitting shots from long range. In the second half, after trailing by as much as 25 points following another Cardinals run, TT Carr broke up the streak for Cal before a rally brought them within eleven at one point late in the game. However, more late three-pointers from Louisville secured their win.
With this result, Cal is now even against ranked opponents this season at one win and one loss.
The Bears will next face Notre Dame at Haas Pavilion on Friday night in their first ACC contest of the new year.
“With 20 points, Chris Bell scored in double digits for the 11th time this season and recorded his fifth 20-point game of the year.”
“Justin Pippen (17 points) hit double digits for the tenth time, and Dai Dai Ames (11 points) did so for the twelfth time this season.”
“Cal is now one-and-one against ranked opponents this season.”
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