Greatest Games in Harmon Gymnasium HistoryCal 75, UCLA 67January 25, 1986 "Cal ends 52-game losing streak to UCLA" It was the most ignominious of streaks, a source of embarrassment for all Old Blues who remembered the glory days of the late 1950's. And so, when new head coach Lou Campanelli boldly predicted the quick end to Cal's 52-game losing streak to UCLA during his opening press conference in April of 1985, a lot of eyebrows were raised. Nine months later, an underdog Cal team had to back up that boast. The Bears didn't shrink from the challenge and the game lived up to all the dramatic build-up. The campus was in an uproar of anticipation in the days leading up to the game. NBC was on hand to televise the contest. Sports Illustrated had a photographer and writer on hand. Considering neither team was ranked, with Cal at 12-4 and UCLA at 8-6, the national spotlight was clearly on Harmon Gym primarily because of the long streak and the promise that it would end. Cal jumped out to a 36-31 halftime advantage and stretched it to a 54-47 bulge with 10:12 remaining. UCLA fought back and had a 60-58 lead with 4:52 left in the game. However, guard Chris Washington then put together a sequence that nearly everybody called the key to the outcome. He slipped down the left baseline, banking in a lay-up to tie things up and then acted like he was heading back up the court to play defense. Instead, he suddenly spun around and intercepted a Montel Hatcher inbound pass, immediately converting the turnover into a lay-up. All of a sudden, Cal was not down two but up a pair and the momentum had changed for good. "That was definitely the biggest play of the game," said UCLA's Reggie Miller. "When we took the lead, I was thinking we'd trade baskets for a while, then we would pull ahead in the last couple minutes. But then he makes that steal, and we're down by two and they're all pumped up." Those two buckets helped Cal outscore the Bruins 15-5 over the last five minutes to seal the win. Forward Dave Butler scored 23 points, including two huge buckets in the last two minutes, and Washington chipped in 19 points (13 in the second half) to lead the Golden Bears to the exhilarating triumph. Kevin Johnson had 14 points and 4 assists. After the game, Athletic Director Dave Maggard invited fans to come down onto the court and join the celebration. They complied and ended up carrying Campanelli off the court. Campanelli eventually retired to his office, where he and his assistants had a party of their own. He returned to the court 90 minutes later to find the crowd still in place and the Straw Hat Band still playing. "It will be nice to stay in bed tomorrow with the Sunday papers and know it's (the streak) behind us." Lou Campenelli"I woke up this morning, the sun was out. Everybody was happy. Had a feeling this morning at breakfast. Everybody was loose. We just came here to do a job and did it." Jeff HulingUCLA Player FG-A FT-A TP Jones 3-4 0-2 6 Miller 10-23 6-6 26 Jackson 6-8 0-0 12 Hatcher 1-8 1-2 3 Richrdsn 5-10 1-2 11 Haley 3-4 1-2 7 Rochelin 0-1 0-0 0 Palmer 1-4 0-0 2 Totals 29-62 9-14 67 CALIFORNIA Player FG-A FT-A TP Butler 10-13 3-4 23 Huling 0-2 3-4 3 L Taylor 3-9 2-4 8 Johnson 4-10 6-8 14 Wshgntn 7-11 5-7 19 Javius 0-0 0-0 0 Chang 3-3 2-2 8 MTaylor 0-0 0-0 0 Totals 27-48 21-29 75 Halftime: Cal 36, UCLA 31 Attendance: 6,660 Cal 107, Oregon 102 (5 OT) February 10, 1977 "Five overtimes and a win against Oregon" For all 4,500 fans, it appeared to be just another uneventful Thursday night basketball game as Cal entered the game with an undistinguished 1-6 conference record. Plus, the Bears had suffered an embarrassing 75-49 loss to Oregon in Eugene just one week earlier. What the fans were to witness, however, on this night was one of the most amazing games in Harmon history. While Cal anticipated an upset, nobody anticipated it would take five overtime periods to achieve it, the longest game in Harmon Gym history. Even though the game went on and on, nobody in the stands could stand to leave the riveting action on the court. When it was all told, three hours and 15 minutes after the opening tipoff, Cal had itself an amazing 107-102 victory. By the time it was over five Cal players -- Tom Schneiderjohn, Ray Murry, Doug True, Quincy Fassette and Gene Ransom -- had all fouled out. Oregon, likewise saw five players disqualified on fouls. In the third overtime, Cal appeared to lock up the game when John Caselli hit two clutch free throws with 20 seconds remaining to give the Bears a four-point lead (before the advent of the three-point shot). But Oregon managed to tie it up and the marathon continued. It was Ransom's two free throws with 14 seconds left in the fourth overtime that kept the game alive for another extra period. It went on to overtime number five, where little-used forward Jim Griffith hit two free throws for Cal with just under two minutes to go and Caselli added two more from the charity stripe 40 seconds later to give the Bears a 103-97 edge. Cal finally had victory in hand. Ransom led the Bears with a career high 36 points in an amazing 63 1/2 minutes while Oregon's Greg Ballard, who played 63 minutes, poured in 41 points. "It was a trip," said Murry, who scored 15 points for the Bears. "I never thought about seeing one like that. It was something new in basketball."
"I lost track of the periods."
"I honestly don't remember the end of regulation play. All I know is that we lost."
"I just want to go home and jump in bed."
OREGON
Player FG FT-A TP
Ballard 13 15-16 41
Kent 4 5-9 13
Small 4 2-7 10
Drmmnd 4 0-0 8
Murray 5 7-7 17
Moreck 0 1-3 1
Nelson 0 0-0 0
Graham 0 0-1 0
Mack 0 0-0 0
Greig 1 1-1 3
Totals 33 36-50 102
CALIFORNIA
Player FG FT-A TP
Murry 6 3-6 15
True 4 5-10 13
Snderjn 5 2-2 12
Caselli 1 5-7 7
Ransom 11 14-19 36
Fassette 1 0-0 2
Griffith 3 2-2 8
Whitfield 2 3-4 7
Singleton 2 0-1 4
Miller 0 3-4 3
Totals 35 37-55 107
Halftime: Cal 39, Ore. 37
Regulation: Cal 65, Ore. 65
1st OT: Cal 72, Ore. 72
2nd OT: Cal 83, Ore. 83
3rd OT: Cal 89, Ore. 89
4th OT: Cal 93, Ore. 93
Attendance: 4,500
USF 33, Cal 24 January 28, 1956 "The Great Stall against Bill Russell and USF" Entering the game with a nation's best 39-game winning streak, USF and its All-America center Bill Russell came into Harmon Gym as a heavy favorite. Cal head coach Pete Newell knew his team was outmanned, but he had a few tricks up his sleeve and the Bears were determined to throw a scare into the Dons. Playing a controlled offensive game and using an unusual scheme that had center Duane Asplund stationed on the outside to draw Russell away from the key, Cal jumped out to an amazing 12-3 lead after 12 minutes of play. The Harmon crowd was loud enough during that opening stretch, and when Russell actually threw up an air ball on a free throw attempt, the house nearly came down. However, USF went to a full-court press late in the first half and ended up with a 20-16 lead at intermission. Then with only four minutes gone in the second half and the Bears down 26-21, Cal center Duane Asplund, who was assigned to guard Russell, fouled out. Even though it appeared that the Bears were doomed, head coach Pete Newell had one last trick to try. Newell inserted Joe Hagler to replace Asplund in the lineup and instructed Hagler to stand near midcourt and hold the ball. Because Russell would not come out of the post to guard Hagler, Hagler held on to the ball for 10 minutes. Players conversed with each other as the game clock ticked away. Finally, Newell called timeout with six minutes remaining and substituted Bob Washington for Hagler. When play resumed, Washington fired a long-range shot that rimmed the basket and bounced out. Had the shot gone down, Cal would have had the momentum back and USF may have tightened up as the Dons did early in the game. However, when the shot missed, the die was cast and USF went on to the nine-point victory and a national record 40th consecutive victory. The stall strategy was the only way this young Newell team had a chance against the talented USF squad. Nobody could believe what the Bears were doing at the time, but it nearly worked, as Cal almost toppled the seemingly invincible Dons. K.C. Jones, despite being hampered much of the game by the defense of Cal guard Earl Washington, ended up with 15 points, though only one field goal. Bernie Simpson had 7 points for the Bears. The valiant effort buoyed Cal's program as the Bears immediately went on a eight-game winning streak helping Cal to a third-place finish in the PCC. The next four years Cal won the league title under Newell.
"My primary concern was the team and winning this game. I felt that
"I'd do the same thing under similar circumstances."
USF
Player FG FT-A TP
Boldt 1 0-0 2
Farmer 0 0-3 0
Russell 2 5-8 9
Jones 1 13-13 15
Perry 1 0-2 2
Brown 0 3-3 3
Prensea 1 0-0 2
Totals 6 21-29 33
CALIFORNIA
Player FG FT-A TP
Blake 0 0-2 0
Friend 0 4-4 4
Asplund 2 1-5 5
Robnsn 1 4-4 6
Simpson 2 3-4 7
Hagler 0 0-0 0
Wshngtn 0 0-1 0
Diaz 0 2-2 2
Totals 5 14-22 24
Halftime: USF 20, Cal 16
Attendance: 7,000
USC 77, Cal 64 A forfeit has always been a very uncommon occurrence in major college sports. In fact, the only forfeit in Cal basketball history occurred on this date when unruly fans tossed pennies, wrapped-up tin foil and other objects onto the court, causing the referee to forfeit the game to USC with the Trojans leading 77-64 and 3:34 remaining in the contest. The 5500 fans in Harmon Gym were unhappy with official Al Lightner's calls and began hurling items onto the court. After a warning was issued by the public address announcer, the behavior continued, with the final straw being a hard object wrapped in tin foil hitting Lightner in the eye. A police officer pegged the assailant as a 13- or 14-year old, but the youth ran back into the crowd before anyone could catch him. There was great debate following the decision to end the game. Some people said Lightner had every right to call the game, while others claim they had seen much worse. In any event it was the first forfeit in school and conference history and it went into the books as a 13-point loss to USC. Former Cal coach Nibs Price, who was then a part-time employee in Cal's P.E. Department, thought the forfeit was an over-reaction. "I've seen things much worse both at home and on the road," he said. "I'm deeply sorry it happened, but things being thrown on the floor are certainly no novelty in this league. If Lightner doesn't want to officiate, why does he go out there at all."
"I'm not willing to risk my sight for an official's pay."
"When I got hit in the eye I told the PA announcer I would call a
USC
Player FG FT-A TP
Dunne 3 2-2 8
Kaufmn 2 3-3 7
Lovrich 7 2-4 16
Sterkel 0 0-1 0
Pearson 0 0-1 0
Hauser 5 10-12 20
Psaltis 5 0-3 10
Rogers 4 4-4 12
Raine 0 0-0 0
Nagal 1 2-3 4
Totals 27 23-33 77
CALIFORNIA
Player FG FT-A TP
Friend 4 3-3 11
Blake 3 3-3 9
McIntsh 1 0-2 2
Asplund 2 3-3 7
Hagler 2 7-7 11
Robinson 4 2-5 10
Arillaga 1 2-2 4
Diaz 0 4-4 4
Hess 1 0-0 2
Simpson 2 0-3 4
Totals 20 24-32 64
Halftime: USC 42, Cal 31
Attendance: 5,500
Note: Game forfeited in 2nd half
Kansas 66, Cal 56 December 18, 1956 "Wilt the Stilt comes to Harmon" Only a sophomore, he was already a legend in basketball circles and 7,200 Cal fans jammed Harmon Gym to get a glimpse of 7-foot Wilt Chamberlain and the Kansas Jayhawks in a tilt a week before Christmas in 1956. It was obvious that Cal coach Pete Newell would have to devise a special strategy to defend the talented Chamberlain. On offense, Newell installed an array of back-door cuts in an attempt to circumvent Chamberlain's defensive presence, while on defense, he assigned a combination of center Duane Asplund and expert defender Earl Robinson to guard Chamberlain. The plan appeared to be working as the giant future Hall of Famer, who had averaged 39.5 points in the Jayhawks previous four games, didn't even get his first field goal until eight minutes into the game. On the other end, Asplund's quickness allowed him to go past Chamberlain several times for back-door buckets. In what the San Francisco Chronicle described as "one of the best first halves in many a season," the Bears went to intermission with a 33-25 lead. The turning point of the game came early in the second half when Robinson appeared to make a spectacular jumping tip-in follow shot that would have pushed Cal's lead to 44-35. However, referee Lou Batmale disallowed the basket and gave Robinson his fourth foul. A few minutes later, the pesky Cal guard fouled out and the complexion of the game dramatically changed. A seven-point Cal lead soon disappeared and Cal was outscored 31-14 down the stretch. Chamberlain finished with 23 points and added 14 rebounds. But it was two of his teammates - Lew Johnson and Ronald Johnston - who scored a combined 17 points, all in the tell-tale second half, that proved to be the difference. While Pete Newell's strategy clearly worked, he still lauded Chamberlain's talent after the game, "I think Chamberlain is the greatest sophomore offensive force I've ever seen in basketball." The strong Cal effort was an omen of good things ahead as the Bears went on to win 14 straight games after the Kansas contest en route to a 21-5 record and the school's first NCAA appearance in 11 seasons.
KANSAS
Player FG FT-A TP
Eiston 5 0-1 10
L Jhnsn 3 1-2 7
Chmbrln 8 7-7 23
King 3 4-5 10
Parker 1 4-4 6
Johnson 4 2-3 10
Totals 23 20-23 66
CALIFORNIA
Player FG FT-A TP
McIntsch 1 0-2 2
Friend 4 9-9 17
Asplund 4 0-0 8
Robinson 5 7-7 17
Arillaga 5 0-1 10
Buch 0 2-3 2
Simpson 0 0-0 0
Kapp 0 0-1 0
Diaz 0 0-0 0
Totals 19 18-24 56
Halftime: Cal 33, Kansas 25
Attendance: 7,200
Cal 86, USC 83 (OT) Many will remember it as one of Jason Kidd's finest games in Harmon Gym, but there were heroes all around in Cal's heart stopping 86-83 overtime win over USC. The game had special significance as the dramatic victory sparked an improbably stretch drive by the Bears, who went all the way to the Sweet Sixteen. Perhaps it was the two coaches who summed the game up the best. "These two teams really played their hearts out," said USC coach George Raveling. "It's the kind of game I would have paid to see." Todd Bozeman, in just his third game as Cal's head coach, commented, "This was a great game. Never have I been in one like this, as a player or as a coach." The game went back and forth all day long, with Kidd and USC guard Rodney Chatman seemingly trying to outdo each other with every possession. Chatman was simply spectacular, finishing the night with 37 points, including 13-of-17 shooting and 6-of-7 from behind the three-point arc. Meanwhile, Kidd, who would go on to win National Freshman of the Year honors, posted 25 points, 10 assists and six steals. The Trojans had a 76-73 lead with just under a minute to play, but reserve guard Akili Jones hit the biggest basket of his career when he nailed a three-pointer with 47 seconds left on the clock to tie things up. Cal had to come back yet again in overtime as USC quickly jumped to a six-point lead. The Bears didn't panic as Kidd hit a pair of free throws and K.J. Roberts hit a clutch three-point shot. With just over a minute in the overtime, Kidd knocked down a three-pointer to give Cal an 84-83 lead. Cal got the ball back with 50 seconds left and a one-point lead. After taking some time off the clock, Kidd again played the hero. He drove the lane and dished to Brian Hendrick who drew Chatman's fifth foul. Hendrick hit both free throws to make it 86-83 with just 0:08 left on the clock. The Bears then withstood a last-second three-point try by the Trojans and Cal had the win. After that victory, the Bears went on to win six of their final seven contests in the regular season and two games in the NCAA Tournament. Not only was this one of the most exciting games in school history, but it may have been one of the most important.
"It was the kind of game I'd pay to see"
USC
Player FG-A FT-A TP
Chtmn 13-17 5-5 37
Orr 3-6 1-2 7
Boyd 0-2 3-4 3
Glenn 6-13 1-2 19
Harris 1-2 1-2 3
Hckett 2-5 0-0 4
Anchr 3-6 0-0 6
Crouse 1-1 0-0 2
Hmnck 0-0 0-0 0
Martin 0-0 0-0 0
Totals 29-52 11-15 83
CALIFORNIA
Player FG-A FT-A TP
Grigrsby 6-10 1-2 13
Murray 6-10 2-2 14
Hendrick 3-9 7-11 13
Kidd 9-17 4-4 25
Haase 0-5 1-2 1
Jones 4-9 1-1 10
Johnson 1-3 0-0 2
Roberts 3-8 0-0 6
Jamison 0-1 0-0 0
Buckley 0-0 0-0 0
Brnham 0-1 0-0 0
Totals 32-73 16-22 86
Halftime: USC 37, Cal 36
Attendance: 6,578
UCLA 58, Cal 56 However for one Saturday night, Cal's underdog hoop team almost recaptured the magic of the glory years and some 7,200 fans almost celebrated UCLA's only loss all season before the Bears fell 58-56 in the final minute of play. The night before, Cal had become UCLA's 18th straight victim, falling 87-67. The result was no surprise as the Bruins were led by All-America guard Walt Hazzard, center Fred Slaughter and several other top players. But this night, things would be dramatically different. After watching the Bruins work the fast break to perfection in the previous game, Cal head coach Rene Herrerias instructed his troops to sprint back on defense as soon as they saw a long rebound, instead of trying to battle the taller Bruins on the boards and getting beat down the court on outlet passes. The plan worked perfectly. In addition, UCLA only managed 40 percent shooting, after firing in 61 percent of their attempts the previous night. Cal captain Dan Lufkin was held in check by Hazzard, after scoring a career high 18 points in the first game of the series. However, with the Bruins concentrating on Lufkin, Cal center Camden Wall had a big night with 22 points. The Bears were in it right until the final minute when the Bears best player, Dan Wolthers, fouled out. Reserve Chris Carpenter came on to take his place and ended up taking the final shot of the game, a long set shot. It did not go down and the Bruins escaped by the skin of their teeth. It would prove to be UCLA's toughest test all year, as the Bruins went on to an undefeated national championship season, while the Cal team could only muster an 11-13 mark.
"This (meaning the game) was our biggest challenge of the season."
"I was proud of the way our team played tonight but sick because we couldn't win"
UCLA
Player FG FT-A TP
Hirsch 3 4-4 10
Erik 4 3-4 11
Slaught 0 3-3 3
Hazard 5 7-7 17
Good 5 5-5 15
Wash 0 0-0 0
McIntyr 0 2-2 0
Totals 17 24-25 58
CALIFORNIA
Player FG FT-A TP
Wolthr 4 4-5 12
Smith 0 1-2 1
Wall 9 4-4 22
Lufkin 3 2-4 8
Ballmr 4 5-5 13
Holt 0 0-3 0
Carpntr 0 0-0 0
Totals 20 16-23 56
Halftime: UCLA 29, Cal 27
Attendance: 7,200
Cal 59, USF 58 First-year head coach Lou Campanelli was in the process of directing the Golden Bears to their first postseason appearance since the Pete Newell era and in doing so, made a habit of coming up with some big wins along the way. None was more improbable then this one against USF. It was a game that seemed to be salted away in the win vault for the Dons until the basketball gods decided to descend on Harmon Gym in the final seconds. Even with USF missing several foul shots down the stretch, the Dons still held a 57-55 lead with 16 seconds left in the game and had the ball. During a substitution, Cal's Jeff Huling was told to go in for Eddie Javius and then the coaches changed their minds and said to replace Leonard Taylor. Taylor never got the word and the Bears had six men on the court. When Huling fouled USF freshman Mark McCathrion one second later, the Dons had a chance for a five-point lead with a one-and-one plus a technical foul. Plus the ball. Game over, right? Wrong. USF only netted one point in that journey to the charity stripe, so the Dons led by three and had the ball. USF's Peter Reitz was fouled, but missed the front end of the one-and-one. Then, thinking the Bears were down four, Chris Washington ignored a three-point jumper and took the ball all the way for a quick lay-up and was fouled by Ken Ramirez. Washington then realized that he would actually be able to tie game with a successful foul shot. He missed, but Cal's Leonard Taylor grabbed the rebound and laid it in for the game-winning field goal at the buzzer. For a team that had gone through some rough times in recent years, it was an unlikely scenario. But Cal used Harmon Gym as its sixth man, as the Dons missed four free throws in the final two minutes including the front end of three one-on-one opportunities. The improbable win gave Cal a 10-2 start and left USF players wondering just what exactly happened in the final seconds of the game.
"Strange things happen in the heat of battle."
"Anything can happen. We found that out. It hurts, but we have to
USF
Player FG-A FT-A TP
Ramirez 6-9 0-0 12
Mann 2-6 0-0 4
Reitz 1-2 0-1 2
Giron 3-6 3-3 9
D'Alsio 6-10 2-3 14
Grigsby 3-5 0-0 6
McCthn 5-9 1-3 11
Totals 26-47 6-10 58
CALIFORNIA
Player FG-A FT-A TP
Butler 3-8 3-4 9
Huling 1-5 0-0 2
LTaylor 3-6 1-5 7
Johnson 8-11 2-2 18
Wshgntn 4-9 3-5 11
MTaylor 2-6 0-0 4
Chang 0-1 2-4 2
Wheeler 0-2 0-0 0
Javius 2-2 2-2 6
Totals 23-50 13-22 59
Halftime: USF 33, Cal 23
Attendance: 5,400
Cal 73, UCLA 68 The Bruins looked like they was on the verge of a dynasty, having won two straight PCC titles, including a perfect 16-0 mark the previous year. And when the Bruins defeated Cal, 71-66, the previous night in Harmon, the Saturday match-up meant all the marbles were on the table. Newell knew that UCLA prided itself on its physical conditioning, but he believed his team took a backseat to nobody in that category. "I told our team that we weren't going to call a time out, no mater what," said Newell. "We may have to run on our knees, but no timeouts." Througout the first half and through the first 17 minutes of the second half -- 37 minutes in all -- there were no stoppages of play. And Cal was full-court pressing the entire game. (sentence about how game developed). Gradually, late in the second half, Cal's pressure finally began to take its toll and the Bruins began turning the ball over. The Bears got a few turnovers and turned a close game into an 8-point victory and what would turn out to be the PCC title. More importantly, the win firmly established Cal as the class of the West Coast as the Bears went on to beat UCLA and John Wooden eight straight times in route to three more conference titles and eventually the national championship.
"I knew we had the stamina, endurance and the heart to play on
Cal 85, Stanford 66 Cal fans have been treated to many special individual performances in the long history of Harmon Gym, but none was more fun to watch than in the 1976-77 season finale against Stanford. In the final home game of his career, Ray "Sugar Bear" Murry tossed in a then-gym record 41 points to lead Cal past the Cardinal. The game didn't mean anything in terms of the league race or post-season berths, but the gym was jumping that night, nonetheless. Murry, who was known as "Sugar Bear" because of his plump body shape, scored his record total on an array of outside bombs, dunks and other shots in between. Stanford had pulled to within striking distance in the final two minutes, but Murry put an exclamation point on his career night with a pair of memorable dunks, the final one being a one-handed tomahawk over Stanford's Kimberly Belton. The Bears got good performances out of Gene Ransom with 16 points and 10 assists as well as sophomore center Tom Schneiderjohn, who canned 10 of 11 free throws on his way to 24 points, but clearly the game belonged to Murry. The win gave Cal a respectable 7-7 mark in conference play, while the Bears finished just 12-15 overall.
"His performance speaks for itself. It was a great way for a great
STANFORD
Player FG FT-A TP
Carter 2 0-0 4
Belton 10 4-9 24
Shmlzrd 1 0-0 2
Bratz 10 5-6 25
Perry 8 1-3 17
McHgh 5 1-2 11
Morgan 0 0-0 0
Gvcchn 3 0-0 0
Fitzner 1 0-0 2
Dhrmnn 0 0-0 0
Barnes 0 0-0 0
Totals 40 11-20 91
CALIFORNIA
Player FG FT-A TP
True 4 1-2 9
Murry 15 11-17 41
Shnrlhn 7 10-11 24
Caselli 4 1-2 9
Ransom 6 4-6 16
Miller 0 2-2 2
Griffith 0 0-0 0
Fssette 0 0-0 0
Singletn 0 0-0 0
Totals 36 29-40 101
Halftime: Cal 58, Stan 42
Attendance: 6,200
Cal 86, Stanford 69 In Cal's home finale last March, Harmon Gym proved to be as loud as it's ever been and the home court advantage was never more evident in a crucial 86-69 victory over arch-rival Stanford. The game had special significance in a number of ways, including an emotional final senior salute to Alfred Grigsby. A subsequent victory turned out to be the key factor in Cal earning a 1996 NCAA Tournament berth just eight days later. Grigsby was accorded a long standing ovation as he walked to center court in pre-game ceremonies with his mother, girlfriend and young daughter. After enduring a long history of frustrating back injuries which had kept him on the sidelines for most of the previous three seasons, he returned to the starting line-up for his final game. While it was more of a symbol than anything else, he not only contributed an emotional lift but produced a pair of points and a rebound in his two minutes on the court at the beginning of the first and second halves. Cal entered the game with a mission to stop the Stanford backcourt of Brevin Knight and Dion Cross, which had burned the Bears for 54 points in a Cardinal victory earlier in the season. This time around, Cal's Anwar McQueen and Randy Duck, along with some help of a vociferous cheering section, helped hold the pair to just 3-of-13 shooting and only a total of 17 points. Offensively, National Freshman of the year Shareef Abdur-Rahim was nearly unstoppable with 31 points, by knocking down 9-of-11 shots and 13-of-14 free throws. As he ended up turning pro and going No. 3 in the 1996 NBA draft, it turned out to be his final appearance in Harmon Gym. Cal controlled the game from the opening tip-off and gradually built a 42-29 lead at halftime. The Cardinal tried to make runs in the second half, but Cal's crowd got louder and louder and their collective will wasn't going to be denied on this afternoon. Five different times, Stanford cut the lead to nine points, but each time Cal responded to build the lead back up.
STANFORD
Player FG-A FT-A TP
Harbour 3-9 0-0 7
Poppink 8-14 3-3 19
Allaway 1-1 0-0 2
Cross 2-9 5-5 9
Knight 1-4 6-7 8
Seaton 4-6 2-5 10
Weems 1-5 3-4 5
Sauer 2-4 0-0 5
Lee 1-1 2-2 4
Totals 23-53 21-26 69
CALIFORNIA
Player FG-A FT-A TP
Abdr-Rm 9-11 13-14 31
Duck 1-3 0-0 2
Grigsby 0-0 2-2 2
McQuen 1-5 2-4 5
Gray 8-17 10-16 27
Gonzalz 4-5 3-4 11
Fowlkes 0-3 1-3 1
McGrudr 1-2 0-0 2
Marks 0-1 0-0 0
Gadner 1-2 0-0 2
Stewart 0-1 0-0 0
Caiazzo 1-1 0-0 2
Totals 26-51 31-43 85
Halftime: Cal 42, Stan 29
Attendance: 6,578
Washington 64, California 57 While basketball is a team game, sometimes a brilliant individual performance elevates a game into a whole new category.That's exactly what Andy Wolfe's amazing game did on March 13, 1948 when he scored a school record 28 points against the Washington Huskies in the second game of a three-game playoff series against the Washington Huskies for the Pacific Coast Conference title. Although the Bears ended up losing the game 64-57, it was a performance that Cal fans would not soon forget. While 28 points isn't a big deal in this era, back in the late 1940's it was an incredible feat and the circumstances in which it occured made the event even more noteworthy. Chuck Hanger was Cal's star center and the team's main scoring threat at a forward position, averaging 14.5 points during the season. Wolfe was the team's captain and backcourt leader with a 12.1 ppg average. The Bears had won the first game of the playoff series and needed just one more victory to earn a berth in the NCAA Final Four. However, in the opening minutes of the game, Hanger rushed down court for what appeared to be an open lay-up until Washington's Bob Jorgensen came from behind and sent him flying three rows into the crowd. Hanger picked himself up, and limped to the free-throw line to attempt his foul shot. He connected on the shot, but his day was done. Hanger limped to the sideline where he would remain for the rest of the game with a twisted knee. Everything looked bleak for Cal fans. All of the excitement of the race for the Pacific Coast crown left Harmon gym when Hanger sat down on the bench. But Andy Wolfe refused to give up and put on a sensational performance that kept his team in the game until the Huskies pulled away in the second half, win the game and go on to take the series. The Bears All-American picked apart the Husky defense for 21 points in the first half alone, on an array of circus shots. Wolfe nailed jumpers from outside, hit several one handed running shots and made a surging lay-ups. He finished the night with 28 points, eclipsing the Harmon gym scoring record of 27 points set two months earlier by Hanger against USC. The record of 28 points would stand for six years, until broken by Bob McKeen in 1954. Thanks to Wolfe's performence, the game was close throughout the first half as the two teams headed to the locker room tied at 29. But in the opening minutes of the second half, the Huskies pulled away. With Hanger on the bench, Washington center Jack Nichols dominated down low, grabbing several rebounds and converting on five field goals in the opening minutes of the second half. His teammate Sam White did the job from outside hitting several outside shots as the Huskies opened up an eight point lead. Wolfe kept plugging away and his superb lay-up got the Bears to within 59-55, but the Washington's size up front proved to be too much of a factor and the Huskies emergedwith a 64-57 decision. They went on to win the next night as well and garner the PCC title. The Huskies may have won the game that evening, but no one in attendance that night would forget the amazing performance of Cal's Andy Wolfe.
"With Hanger gone, the veteran (Andy) Wolfe came through with an
WASHINGTON
Player FG FT-A TP
White 9 3-3 21
Vndnbgj 4 2-5 10
Nicols 7 4-0 18
Jorgensn 0 0-3 0
Taylor 3 1-3 7
Arnsson 1 0-2 2
Bird 1 0-0 2
Opacich 0 2-5 2
Eckman 0 1-1 1
Millikan 0 1-1 1
Totals 25 14-23 64
CALIFORNIA
Player FG FT-A TP
Cuneo 3 0-2 6
G. Walkr 1 0-5 2
Hanger 0 1-1 1
Srader 0 2-2 2
Wolfe 10 8-8 28
Dean 3 2-2 8
R. Walkr 2 0-2 4
Riemcke 0 0-0 0
Tryon 1 0-1 2
Keaton 2 0-0 4
Totals 23 13-23 57
Halftime: Cal 29, Wash. 29
Attendance: 5,500
Cal 78, Old Dominion 70 In what many consider to be the biggest win in the first two decades of women's basketball at Cal, the Golden Bears upset two-time national champion and fourth-ranked Old Dominion, 78-70. Old Dominion, coached by current Cal head coach Marianne Stanley, entered the game riding a nine-game winning streak, and were coming off impressive wins over defending national champ USC and top-10 ranked Long Beach State. The crowd of more than 900 fans was one of the largest in the program's history at that time, and many came armed with cowbells to distract the Lady Monarchs. Down by nine points at halftime (43-34), Cal outscored ODU 14-4 over the first six minutes of the second half to take a slim lead, 48-47. The teams traded baskets for the next 10 minutes, before Cal took the lead for good, 60-58, with six minutes remaining in the game, and held on for the victory. Cal played a superior defensive games, forcing the Lady Monarchs into 24 turnovers on the night. Junior forward was credited with nine steals during the game to go along with 17 points. Senior guard Karen Smith led five Cal players in double figures, with a game-high 22 points, as the win gave Cal an 11-2 record, the best start in school history.
"In order to win this game we had to execute perfectly and we were almost perfect."
OLD DOMINION
Player FG FT-A TP
Dixon 7 5-5 19
Miller 5 2-2 12
Claxton 8 5-8 21
Elliot 0 0-0 0
Biais 1 2-2 4
Cullen 2 2-2 6
Chrstian0 0-0 0
Jenkins 4 0-0 8
Totals 27 16-19 70
CALIFORNIA
Player FG FT-A TP
James 3 4-5 10
Cooke 6 5-6 17
Toikka 2 0-0 4
Smith 10 2-5 22
Garrett 4 5-9 13
Bennett 1 0-1 2
Luschen 5 0-0 10
Totals 31 16-26 78
Halftime: OD 43, Cal 34
Attendance: 900
Cal 115, USC 106 In the only Cal game ever to feature both teams hitting the 100-point mark, Cal scored a school-record and Pac-10 record 115 points to overcome the USC Trojans, 115-106. USC's Cheri Nelson scored a Pac-10 record 50 points, a mark which still stands today, hitting 16-of-23 from the floor, and 18-of-20 from the charity stripe. But the Bears put together an outstanding team effort, with seven players scoring in double figures, led by Meme Fanner's 18 points. The victory also gave the Bears a Pac-10 season sweep of the Trojans for the first time ever. In an offensive shootout that began with the opening tip, USC's Cherie Nelson had 25 points before halftime. However, Cal was scoring at an even greater pace and held a 57-51 halftime advantage. Only once in the second half would Cal relinquish the lead (68-67). After Cal had taken back control of the game, the Trojans cut the lead to three points, 103-100, with 3:37 remaining. However, a 7-0 run over the next two minutes put the game out of USC's grasp. USC's Nelson ended the game with a Pac-10 record 50 points, but Cal countered with seven players in double figures. Senior Meme Fanner had 18 points and six assists, while Chris Holten had 17 points and eight assists, Laura Baker had 16, Teresa Palmisano had 15 and Kesha Martin added 13 points. The loss to the Bears was USC's season finale and wrapped up the Trojans' first losing season (12-16) in 11 years. The loss also marked the final game at USC for 12-year head coach Linda Sharp, who ironically was succeeded by current Cal head coach Marianne Stanley.
USC
Player FG-A FT-A TP
Hodge 4-8 0-0 8
Hmmnd 6-11 2-4 14
Nelson 16-23 18-20 50
Howell 5-13 3-4 14
Story 1-1 2-2 4
Gaytan 2-5 4-8 8
Kennedy 2-3 0-0 4
Stricklnd 1-1 0-0 2
Brown 0-1 0-2 0
Dunbar 0-1 0-0 0
Totals 37-67 29-40 106
CALIFORNIA
Player FG-A FT-A TP
Holten 6-13 4-7 17
Palmisno 7-14 1-3 15
Martin 5-7 3-4 13
Fanner 4-12 7-8 18
Baker 6-15 3-3 15
Robertsn 4-4 1-2 9
Self 0-1 2-2 2
Wiley 3-6 8-10 14
Jenkins 6-8 2-3 14
Totals 41-80 31-41 115
Halftime: Cal 57, USC 51
Attendance: 500
Cal 74, Stanford 65 In the biggest upset in Cal women's basketball history, the Golden Bears knocked off undefeated and second-ranked Stanford, 74-65, to snap an eight-game losing streak to the Cardinal. The game was played before the sixth-largest crowd in Cal history (2,510) and was televised live on Sportschannel, adding to the exciting atmosphere in Harmon that night. It was one of only three losses for Stanford that season, as they rolled to a 30-3 record and won their second NCAA title. Meanwhile the win boosted Cal's record to 9-2 on the season, earned a No. 26 national ranking and rated as the highlight of a very good season. Cal went on to post a 20-9 record and earn an NCAA berth. Despite a 33-point effort by Stanford's All-American center Val Whiting, the Cal defense held Stanford to its lowest scoring output of the season. The Bears counteracted with 18 points each by center Trisha Stafford and All-American guard Milica Vukadinovic. Led by Vukadinovic's 14 first half points, the Bears held a slim 36-35 lead at the intermission. Cal used runs of 12-1 and 7-0 early in the second half to take command of the contest. Stanford rallied to pull within three points (62-59) with seven minutes remaining, but keyed by a pair of long range bombs by guard Jennifer Self, the Bears went on a 10-4 run over the next four minutes, putting the game out of reach.
"It was a big deal to prove to ourselves that we could beat this team
STANFORD
Player FG-A FT-A TP
McMurdo 2-5 0-0 4
Hemmer 1-3 0-0 2
Whiting 11-24 11-13 33
Godnbor 4-12 2-3 11
Hdgpeth 1-3 2-2 5
Rucker 1-1 0-0 2
Kaplan 4-11 0-0 8
Adkins 0-2 0-0 0
Doghrty 0-0 0-1 0
Paye 0-5 0-0 0
Totals 24-66 15-19 65
CALIFORNIA
Player FG-A FT-A TP
Stafford 7-14 2-2 18
Self 3-6 1-3 9
Martin 8-12 1-3 17
Vkinovic 7-16 1-2 18
Wiley 1-5 0-1 2
Robinson 1-2 2-2 4
Dixon 2-3 2-5 6
Totals 29-58 9-22 74
Halftime: Cal 36, Stan. 35
Attendance: 2,510
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