BERKELEY – California staged another late second-half rally but could once again not come out on top in a 59-55 loss to Texas State on Monday night.
 
The Golden Bears fell to 0-5 on the season despite holding Texas State (3-2) to 33.9-percent shooting while Lars Thiemann recorded a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double and Devin Askew tallied 17 points, six rebounds and four assists.
 
Despite trailing by just three points at halftime, Cal found itself down by 11 nearly five minutes into the second half after the Bobcats made three 3-pointers on their first three attempts from the field following the intermission. An offensive board and a put-back dunk by Thiemann with 7:34 left sparked a 9-2 rally by the Bears that brought it within three, 48-45, with a little more than five minutes remaining, but Dylan Dawson's 3-pointer at the 4:28 mark added cushion for Texas State, which relied on free throws (8-for-10) down the stretch to seal it. Cal got within one point twice in the final 19 seconds.
 
Cal led 19-14 when Monty Bowser knocked down his second of three 3-pointers with 9:29 left in the first half, though an offensive cold spell saw the Bears make just one more basket before the intermission. Askew hit a 3-pointer at the 5:07 mark to regain a 22-19 lead before Texas State, despite only making one of its final seven shot attempts, was able to make a 6-0 run to take a 25-22 advantage into the locker room.
 
Thiemann's 11 rebounds were a career high while Sam Alajiki added a personal-best nine boards to go along with nine points and four assists.
 
Mason Harrell scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Bobcats.
 
Monday's contest was the first between the two schools.
 
UP NEXT
Cal will travel to Florida for the 2022 Emerald Coast Classic, where it will face TCU in a semifinal contest at Raider Arena in Niceville on Friday, Nov. 25. Tipoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network following the other semifinal matchup between Clemson and No. 25 Iowa.
 
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