Ryan Anderson led Cal with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Patrick Christopher added 21, 16 in the second half. Making his season's debut after a kidney biopsy, sophomore guard Jerome Randle played 32 minutes and scored a career high 21 points, nailing all three of his three-point attempts.

Said Randall, "I practiced three days, and I didn't make one three," but his quickness was a major difference in this game.

San Diego State puts a lot of defensive pressure on their opponents. "I knew they were going to press us, and that's right up my alley," said Randle. It may have been a surprise that Randle played so many minutes in his first game, but as Coach Ben Braun put it later, "Jerome 'expected' 40 (minutes)."

Perhaps it was the effect of too much Thanksgiving dinner, but the Bears came out flat. Flat as in 5 turnovers in their first six possessions.

The Aztecs raced out to an 8-0 lead, and Cal spent the next twenty minutes chasing the game. Ryan Anderson finally got the Bears on the board with consecutive treys, and it was 10-6 at the first media timeout. It was 14-12 when Richie Williams came off the bench and drilled two three pointers, extending the Aztec's lead to 8.

They eventually opened up a 40-26 lead on Lorenzo Wade's tip in with 2:55 left in the half. That was San Diego State's last score, and the Bears finished with the final seven points of the half. The Bears had turned back to their zone defense, and this time it had the desired result - keeping the Aztecs on the perimeter. Walk-on Eddie Miller's lay-up in transition made it 40-33 at the half.

Cal was fortunate to be down only 7. Twelve turnovers are tough to overcome, and Cal had shot just 44% in the half. Anderson had put in 17 but was the only Cal player in double figures. San Diego State's attack was more balanced with Kyle Spain and Lorenzo Wade leading the way with 9 each.

PG Nikola Knezevic opened the second half with a three and the Bears were right back in it. They closed to within a bucket - but the Aztecs opened it up, again, with three straight threes and a dunk by Billy White to make it 58-49.

Ben Braun jumped into the fray with a timeout with 13:37 left, and Cal went on a 13-0 run that was capped by Patrick Christopher's slam on a lob from Eric Vierneisel - after DeVon Hardin blocked an Aztec shot in the lane.

Christopher and Randle keyed the Cal run. Kelvin Davis' fourth three of the second half tied the game at 66 with left, but the Bears closed out the game on an 11-3 run that put it away.

Hardin broke the tie with his first bucket of the game, a tip-in follow after an Anderson miss.

Then Christopher took over. His two free throws made it a four-point game, and when Cal surprised the Aztecs with full-court pressure, Christopher stole the inbounds pass and drove and laid it in for a six-point lead.

Braun later called that the key play and singled out Randle's denial defense on Williams as the key element of the moment. This was to be Cal's last field goal of the game. Williams banked in a three at a shot clock buzzer to bring the Aztecs within four, but the Bears put it away at the foul line.

Cal's defense in the second half made the difference. San Diego State was just 10 for 35 from the floor, 29%, after half time. For the game, the visitors were 24 for 70 from the floor, just 34%.

The Aztecs stayed in the game with beyond-the-arc shooting of 7 for 19 in the second half, but they were just 3 for 16 on two point attempts after the break. The Aztecs made three treys for a total of 9 points over the last nine and a half minutes.

And in those same minutes, Cal was burning it up, shooting 58% shooting from the field in the second half.

"Our defense keyed everything we did offensively in the second half," said Braun. Cal had just 4 turnovers after half time, and added 4 blocked shots to that total.

After struggling in the first half, Hardin was a big factor defensively. Said Braun, "DeVon kept playing hard. He kept his head in the game." Braun cited the effort of Anderson and Hardin defensively in the second half, noting that their positioning was excellent.

This may not have been a pretty game, but it was a good win.

Speaking later to the press, Anderson called it "ugly," but good teams win those kinds of games, especially at home. San Diego State is an athletic team with good shooters, and they are capable of giving teams a tough time.

The Bears were pleased to get two players back for this game, but two others who will be crucial to the Bears' 2007-08 season (Theo Robertson and Omondi Amoke), are still "a ways away," said Braun.

Taylor Harrison is expected to return to practice next week to give the team some additional depth in the post.

The Cal Bears will hit the road for the first time this season on Wednesday, traveling to Reno for a rematch with Nevada. The following Saturday, the Bears host Missouri in the Big-12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series at Haas.

Game Notes

• Eric Vierneisel again struggled with his shooting, going 0-5 from the floor and 0-2 from the line. Braun complimented his effort on the defensive end.
• Cal did not shoot well from the line, planting just 17-28 shots for the game, 61%.
• The Aztecs took 31 three-point shots during the game, making 11.
• San Diego State had 7 steals.
  

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