BERKELEY – California erased a 23-point second-half deficit but could not complete the comeback in an 88-80 loss to Cornell on Tuesday night at Haas Pavilion.
 
The Golden Bears (6-4) turned a 52-29 deficit with 18:14 remaining in the game into a 72-71 lead with a 3-pointer by Andrej Stojakovic with 5:15 to go. Cornell's Guy Ragland Jr. buried a 3-pointer 15 seconds later and Cornell (7-3) never trailed again. It was Cal's third consecutive loss following a 6-1 start to the season.
 
Joshua Ola-Joseph scored a career-high 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting – including 5 of 7 from deep – and tied a career high with eight rebounds, while Mady Sissoko had 13 points and eight boards. Three other Bears finished with double-figure points, including Stojakovic (13), Jeremiah Wilkinson (12) and Jovan Blacksher Jr. (11).
 
AK Okereke scored 24 and Cooper Noard added 21 to lead Cornell.
 
Noard's jump shot with 6:31 left before halftime gave the Big Red a 32-18 lead. Cornell finished the first half shooting 20 of 36 (55.6%) en route to a 47-29 halftime advantage. Cal, which entered the contest averaging 13 turnovers per game, equaled the mark by halftime.
 
UP NEXT
Cal hosts Northwestern State on Saturday at noon PT. The Bears' nonconference home finale will air on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).
 
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Tickets for the 2024-25 campaign can be purchased by visiting CalBears.com/Tickets, calling 800-GO-BEARS (462-3277) or emailing goldstandard@berkeley.edu. Fans can support the Golden Bears through the Cal Men's Basketball Excellence Initiative or the California Legends Collective.
 
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