NICEVILLE, Fla. – California executed defensively but committed 19 turnovers in a 59-48 loss to TCU at the Emerald Coast Classic on Friday night.
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The Golden Bears could not get closer than six points in the second half despite holding TCU (4-1) to 39.3 percent shooting from the floor and just 17.6 percent from 3-point range. It was the Golden Bears' sixth straight loss to start the season and dropped them into a third-place matchup with Clemson at 1 p.m. PT on Saturday.
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"I thought that we created the style of game that we wanted to create," Cal head coach
Mark Fox said. "(But) we did give up 14 offensive rebounds, which was a major concern going into the game…(and) on the offensive end with 19 turnovers, you just can't win that way."
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Lars Thiemann and
Devin Askew scored 12 points apiece to pace Cal. Thiemann added eight rebounds while Askew chipped in three rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals.
Sam Alajiki finished with seven points and four boards.
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It was a back-and-forth affair for the first five minutes before the Horned Frogs took the lead for good on a second-chance layup by Eddie Lampkin with 14:47 remaining in the first half. After a layup by
Joel Brown brought Cal within one point, 17-16, the Bears missed their next eight field goals over a six-minute span and eventually went to the intermission with a 27-21 deficit.
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TCU used a 13-5 run for its largest lead of the game, 46-32 with 8:41 left. Back-to-back 3-pointers by
Kuany Kuany and
Grant Newell cut the Frogs' lead to 46-38, but Cal was unable to get closer.
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Mike Miles Jr. scored 23 points and matched a career-high nine rebounds for TCU in his return to the court after missing the past two games.
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UP NEXT
Cal will shift gears quickly to face Clemson (3-2) in the third-place game at the Emerald Coast Classic on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT and the contest will be streamed on FloSports. The Tigers lost 74-71 to No. 25 Iowa in Friday's first semifinal matchup.
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