Dec. 2, 2010

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BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - Freshman Gary Franklin shook off a two-game shooting slump and scored 13 points, Bak Bak came off the bench with career highs of 12 points and six rebounds and California beat UC Davis 74-62 on Wednesday night.

Franklin was 4-for-8 from the floor on Wednesday, making three 3-pointers. He had missed 21 of 26 shots in his last two games.

"He's not going to have games like that all the time," Golden Bears coach Mike Montgomery said. "You have to let the game come to you ... and I thought he did a much better job of that. The shots he took were better shots. He was just patient with the game."

Markhuri Sanders-Frison added 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting for the Golden Bears (4-2) while helping Montgomery notch his 50th win at Cal in 74 games. It's the fastest a Cal coach has reached 50 wins since Nibs Price did it in 60 games from 1924-29.

Montgomery also moved within three wins of 600 for his career.

Joe Harden scored a career-high 27 points for UC Davis (3-5) in the schools' first meeting in 24 years. The Golden Bears are 31-0 in the series.

The Bears didn't look sharp offensively and struggled to shake the Aggies before pulling away late. They led 55-49 with 9:35 remaining, then went on a 17-5 run to break the game open.

"Tonight I just came in with the mindset that I was going to take shots in rhythm and shots that I felt good taking," Franklin said. "Yesterday I shot one hundred free throws and shot an hour after everybody left so I was just trying to go back to my mechanics and the way I shot in high school."

Cal, which was held to five points in the first half of a 57-44 loss to Notre Dame on Nov. 26, snapped a two-game losing streak despite having only three players in double figures. The Bears made up for it by outrebounding the Aggies 31-21 and getting a boost from their reserves.

Bak, who played in only eight games as a freshman last season, led the charge off the bench. The 6-foot-9 forward scored eight points in five minutes in the first half, then added a pair of late baskets in the second half when Cal pulled away. The 12 points tripled Bak's previous career-high.

"We only had 13 turnovers but many of them were on unforced turnovers, trying to throw the ball to people who weren't available," Montgomery said. "Davis did a nice job. They were obviously prepared for what we do. The bench saved us tonight."

Mark Payne scored 15 points and had five assists for UC Davis.

The Aggies trailed 39-30 at halftime and fell behind by 11 points early in the second half. Harden scored five points and former Cal player Nick Miller added four as Davis closed within 47-43.

Sanders-Frison then scored twice, Franklin added a 19-foot jumper and Harper Kamp matched it the next trip down the court to ignite an 8-0 Bears run.

Davis made one more charge and got within 55-49 on Harden's reverse layup, but Brandon Smith hit a short jumper and Kamp scored on a driving layup to stop the Aggies' surge.