Nov. 21, 1999

Box Score

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Oklahoma used a 15-0 run midway through the second half to break open a close game, and the Sooner went on to a 75-58 victory over California in the championship game of the Top of the World Classic Sunday afternoon.

Keying the attack for OU was senior forward Eduardo Najera, who scored 17 of his 23 points after intermission.

Cal trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half before battling back. With OU up 26-13, the Bears went on a 14-3 run to make it 29-27 late in the period. During that stretch, they played with four freshmen and sophomore Shahar Gordon on the court. At the break, Oklahoma led, 31-29.

In the second half, Cal forced its first tie of the game at 38-38 on a jumper by freshman center Nick Vander Laan. However, OU's Tim Heskett nailed a three-pointer and the Sooners took the lead for good.

The Bears stayed in the game until the 13:27 mark when a Sean Lampley jumper made it 46-44. It was then that OU scored the next 15 points, holding the Bears without a basket until Shantay Legans hit a layup with 7:04 to go. At that point, it was 61-46 Sooners.

Vander Laan paced Cal with a career-best 23 points and eight rebounds, shooting 10-of-15 from the floor. In the three games over the weekend, he scored 55 points and grabbed 22 boards. Lampley, who averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds in wins over TCU and Houston, was limited to just nine points and two rebounds against the Sooners.

"With their experience and strength, Oklahoma took it to us in the second half," said Cal head coach Ben Braun. "Nick was one player for us who accepted the physical challenge. We discovered some valuable basketball lessons today. We have to find ways to respond to it. I think as time goes on, we'll learn from this."

Cal returns to action Saturday, Nov. 27 when the Bears host Pacific at 7:30 p.m. in the first regular-season men's basketball game in the new Haas Pavilion. The game will be televised live on Fox Sports Net in the Bay Area.