Cal's Eight-Game Streak Ends Against USC, 65-54

Cal's Eight-Game Streak Ends Against USC, 65-54

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BERKELEY - Reshanda Gray posted her eighth double-double of the season with 32 points and 10 rebounds on Senior Night, but USC used a strong second half to end California's eight-game winning streak with a 65-54 win at Haas Pavilion.

The Bears (19-6) remain second in the Pac-12 standings with an 11-3 record, two games behind league leaders Oregon State with four games remaining, including a season-ending date between the two teams in Corvallis. 

Brittany Boyd scored eight points with six rebounds, four assists and three steals on her Senior Night. 

Mikayla Cowling added six points and six rebounds, and Mercedes Jefflo scored eight points as only four Golden Bears scored Sunday compared to seven Trojans (14-11, 6-8 Pac-12).

Kaneisha Horn and Alexyz Vaioletama led the Trojans with 17 points each.

California took a 33-25 lead into halftime and led by as many as 12 points in the opening minutes of the second half before USC began its comeback in a game that saw the lead change 14 times. After a hot first half from the field, the Bears cooled down in the second, going from 52 percent (13-of-25) in the opening period from the floor and just 27 percent (6-of-22) from the floor in the second half.

In contrast, USC shot 36 percent in the opening half and improved to 50 percent in the second half, outscoring Cal 40-21 over the final 20 minutes.

Prior to the game, California honored its senior class of Gray, Boyd, Justine Hartman and Brittany Shine. Cal's seniors have amassed 98 wins thus far, just three shy of the record-best 2010 senior class of Alexis Gray-Lawson, Natasha Vital, Lauren Greif that won 101 games in their career.

The Bears return to action this week with two games against No. 19 Stanford in the annual Battle of the Bay series. Cal hosts Stanford this Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a game that will air on the Pac-12 Networks before traveling to Palo Alto for a Sunday afternoon ESPN2 tip.

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