BERKELEY (AP) – Andre Kelly scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds as California pulled away from Santa Clara to earn a 72-60 win on Saturday night in Haas Pavilion. The victory was Cal's sixth straight at home since Nov. 15.
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The Golden Bears (6-5) were a perfect 10-for-10 from the line, including all six free throw attempts in the final minute.
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Santa Clara tied the game at 53-53 on a layup by PJ Pipes with just under six minutes to play, but Kelly – who recorded 14 of his points and seven of his rebounds in the second half – scored at the basket and Grant Anticevich hit a jumper and a layup to spark a 10-2 run.
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Jordan Shepherd scored 15 points and dished a game-high six assists for Cal and Anticevich, coming off of two straight double-double performances, added 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
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"Our chemistry is working really well together," Shepherd said of Kelly, who he assisted four times on Saturday night. "He's proven to be a dominant force in the paint. He's proved that all season."
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Cal trailed by 10, 34-24, with 4:12 remaining before halftime when Sam Alajiki knocked down the Bears' first 3-pointer of the night and sparked a 14-0 run to end the half. Makale Foreman (5), Shepherd (4) and Lars Thiemann (2) all contributed during the run, which ended in Cal heading to the locker room up 38-34.
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"That group finished the first half really well, gave us a lead, and I thought changed the game," Cal head coach Mark Fox said. "It was a game that we had to play the full 40 minutes and in the second half, the fact that we defended the 3-point line well was really key. We feel like it's a really good win, because we know (Santa Clara has) a really good program."
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Cal outrebounded Santa Clara 44-26 – the 15th time in the past 19 games that Cal has won or tied the battle on the glass – and limited the Broncos to just one offensive rebound. Meanwhile, the Bears shot 29-of-62 from the field (46.8 percent), led by Kelly's 8-of-11 individual effort.
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Keshawn Justice scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Broncos (7-4). Jalen Williams and Giordan Williams finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
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Cal will take a week off from competition for final exams before it hosts Dartmouth at 1 p.m. PT Sunday, Dec. 19.
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