BKC–T25-California-Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Tyler Bey scored a season-high 21 points, McKinley Wright IV had 17 and No. 24 Colorado made key free throws down the stretch to beat California 71-65 on Thursday night.

D’Shawn Schwartz added 14 points for Colorado (18-5, 7-3 Pac-12), which won for the fourth time in five games.

Matt Bradley had 17 points to lead Cal (10-12, 4-5) which remained winless away from its home court, dropping to 0-6 on the road and 0-3 on neutral courts this season. Paris Austin added 15 points and Andre Kelly 12 on 6 for 7 shooting for Cal, which lost its fifth straight game to Colorado.

Deadlocked at halftime, the game remained tight thoughout most of the second half. Austin’s 3-pointer with 5:16 remaining pulled the Golden Bears to within two points. But Shane Gatling and Wright connected on 3-pointers around a layup by Bradley as Colorado opened a 58-52 lead with 3:00 remaining.

Austin broke loose after a steal for a breakaway layup. Colorado, though, came back to score on Schwartz’s three-point play and Wright’s layup to build a 63-54 lead with 1:07 left to play.

Cal cut the deficit to four points with 32.1 seconds remaining but Shane Gatling, Evan Battey and Eli Parquet combined to make six free throws in the waning seconds to help hold off the Bears.

BIG PICTURE

California: The Bears kept it close throughout the game but they could not get over the hump, continuing their woes away from home to remain winless on the road.

Colorado: The Buffaloes struggled at times on offense but found their rhythm in the second half, both from the floor and the throw line.

UP NEXT

California: Rounds out its trip to the mountain schools at Utah on Saturday night.

Colorado: Hosts Stanford on Saturday.