BERKELEY - The Pac-12's hottest team showed that not even having their All-American point guard missing the game could stop the momentum as Calfiornia won its eighth-consecutive game with a 70-64 win over UCLA Thursday night at Haas Pavilion.

Mercedes Jefflo had a career-night with 23 points and seven rebounds with Brittany Boyd sitting out after hitting her head in Cal's win at then-No. 10 Arizona State last Sunday. Reshanda Gray added 24 points and six rebounds as California (19-5, 11-2 Pac-12) has now won seven consecutive regular season games against the Bruins (10-14, 6-7 Pac-12).

"We have an amazing medical team here, and the staff has worked closely with Brittany since Sunday's game with the fall," California head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said of Brittany Boyd. "In these situations, you can't be too cautious with any player and their health. We look forward to having her back in practice and in competition when she is cleared."

Three Golden Bears - Jefflo, Gabby Green and Mikayla Cowling - played all 40 minutes in a game that Cal led for all but 1:25 to inch closer to Oregon State at the top of the conference standings. Cowling added 11 points and seven rebounds, and Green continued her stellar freshman campaign with six points, seven rebounds and five assists.

The win was Gottlieb's 98th as the head coach of California, and her 50th win at Haas Pavilion. She improves to 7-2 against UCLA since taking charge of the Golden Bear program in the 2011-12 season.

"It was a big deal that we were able to win without Brittany, simply because we rely on her to do so many things," Gottlieb said. "I couldn't be more proud of the whole team, but I think Mercedes Jefflo was the hero. What a performance on so many levels."

The Bears held UCLA scoreless over the opening 3:24 of the game in a comfortable first half of play. Cal increased its lead to as many as 14 points in the opening half with a 37-23 advantage with 2:51 remaining before the break, but the Bruins closed out the half on an 8-1 run to turn a potential rout into a contest.

California's 38 points were their most scored in the first half of a Pac-12 game this season, surpassing the 36 points scored against Washington just two weeks ago in the Bears' biggest conference win of the season.

Holding onto a 47-40 lead with 12:57 to go in the game, Cal hoped to coast to the victory, but UCLA ran out on a 13-2 run over the next four minutes to claim their first and only lead of the game.

The Bears reclaimed the lead for good when Green scored a layup at 7:27 to make it 56-54. Jefflo, who was consistent the entire night offensively and harrassed UCLA's Jordin Canada into a 4-of-18 night shooting, fittingly scored the final points of the game as Cal finished with a 70-64 victory.

The Bears return to action on Sunday, Feb. 15, when they host USC at 6:30 p.m., on Pac-12 Networks. Sunday is Senior Day in Berkeley and another pink game.