Bradley scores 23, Cal tops UNLV in OT, 79-75

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Matt Bradley scored 23 points to rally Cal to a 79-75 overtime victory over UNLV on Tuesday night.

The Bears (2-0) finished regulation on an 11-2 run to erase a nine-point deficit and pave the way to a thrilling victory at Haas Pavilion.

Kareem South added 14 points and Joel Brown had 12 as the Bears stayed unbeaten under first-year coach Mark Fox.

The Runnin’ Rebels (1-2) opened a 65-56 lead with less than six minutes remaining, but Cal battled back and tied it at 67 on two Bradley free throws with 33.6 seconds left.

Cal forced a shot-clock violation with 3.6 seconds left to set up a chance to win in regulation, but Paris Austin’s driving floater bounced off the front rim at the buzzer.

But the Bears quickly took control in overtime, as South’s 3-pointer put momentum in their favor. The lead was just 77-75 in the closing seconds, but UNLV’s Elijah Mitrou-Long drove the lane and lost control of the ball.

Two free throws from South iced it for Cal.

Donnie Tillman led the Runnin’ Rebels with 17 points and Mitrou-Long had 16.

UNLV led 40-38 after a hot-shooting first half for both teams. Bradley had 15 points for Cal and Tillman scored 13 for UNLV.

The Bears were 17 for 27 from the floor (63 and the Runnin’ Rebels 16 for 27 (59%). The difference was Cal didn’t make a single trip to the free-throw line in the first 20 minutes and UNLV was 4 for 8.

UNLV clamped down defensively to begin the second half after Cal shot 63 percent from the floor in the first half.

BIG PICTURE

UNLV: Tillman emerged as a secondary scorer to complement Amauri Hardy, but the Runnin’ Rebels need to find a way to finish out after building a sizable lead.

Cal: The Bears found a way to win even when Bradley, their leading scorer, was silenced offensively for much of the second half.

UP NEXT

UNLV continues a two-game Pac-12 road swing Friday at UCLA, which is 2-0 to start its season.

Cal opens play in the 2K Empire Classic on Friday by hosting California Baptist, starting a stretch of four games in eight days for the Bears.