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Golden Bears Edge Out Buffaloes in a Close Encounter at Haas Pavilion

The California Golden Bears, with a hard-fought victory over the Colorado Buffaloes, improved their season record to an impressive 82-78. The game, held at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, saw the Golden Bears rally from behind to secure the win. The Buffaloes were left to reflect on what might have been after leading at halftime with a score of 40-26.


Dec 9, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA;  California Golden Bears guard Keonte Kennedy (3) makes a three-point basket against the Butler Bulldogs during the first half at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

The second half was where the Golden Bears truly shone, outscoring their opponents by a significant margin. They put up an astonishing 56 points compared to the Buffaloes' 38 in this period. This remarkable turnaround was fueled by California's sharpshooting from beyond the arc; they hit an impressive 47 percent of their three-point attempts.


California's defense also stepped up when it mattered most. They registered four blocks and five steals throughout the game, which contributed significantly to their victory. Their defensive efforts were complemented by an offense that saw them make 26 field goals on a shooting percentage of 40 percent from the floor.


One area where California excelled was capitalizing on turnovers; they scored 15 points off turnovers compared to just six for Colorado. Moreover, California's assist-to-turnover ratio stood at a solid 2.2 while maintaining fewer total turnovers (5) than Colorado (10).


Despite committing one more personal foul than Colorado (17), it did not deter California's players from playing aggressively and effectively throughout both halves of play.


The Buffaloes had strong statistics as well but fell short in key areas that could have turned the game around for them. They shot slightly better overall with a field goal percentage of 49 percent and dominated inside with an impressive tally of points in paint totaling at 42.


Colorado also had more total rebounds (39) than California (35), which included ten offensive boards contributing to ten second-chance points for them – yet this wasn't enough against a determined Golden Bear side that fought back valiantly after trailing early on.


Looking ahead, fans can catch the next game featuring the California Golden Bears as they face off against Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene on January 13th at 5:00 PM Pacific Time. This encounter will be broadcasted live on Pac-12 Network for those eager to follow along as these two teams battle it out on court.

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