SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — California defeated No. 18 UCLA 80–72 on Tuesday night at Chase Center, securing its first win over a ranked opponent since 2020 and closing out the Empire Classic with its strongest performance of the season.
UCLA led 41–36 at halftime, but Cal controlled the second half, outscoring the Bruins 44–31 behind efficient shooting and improved defensive pressure. The Bears finished the night at 50 percent from the field and 47 percent from three.
Senior forward Chris Bell led all scorers with 22 points, going 5-for-7 from beyond the arc while adding six rebounds. Guard Dai Dai Ames scored all 14 of his points in the second half, including two late threes that helped Cal extend its lead in the final minutes.
Freshman guard Justin Pippen added 13 points and four rebounds, and forward Rytis Petraitis contributed 12 points and steady interior play. All eight Cal players who entered the game scored.
Defensively, Cal held UCLA to 31 second-half points and limited the Bruins to 5-for-20 shooting from deep. The Bears also won the rebounding battle 34–30 and committed only eight turnovers compared to UCLA’s twelve.
With the win, Cal improves to 6–1 on the season. The Bears return to action on December 2 against Utah.
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