UCLA Falls at California, 75-63

Freshman guard Aaron Holiday had 10 pts, 5 rbds, 5 assists (2 TOs), 1 steal and fouls out of game vs Cal (AP photo)

Associated Press

FEB 25, 2016 | MEN'S BASKETBALL

By: UCLA Athletics

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BERKELEY, Calif. - Tony Parker and Bryce Alford each scored 15 points as the UCLA basketball team dropped a 75-63 decision to California in a Pac-12 game on Thursday evening.

The Bruins were unable to overcome an eight-point halftime deficit. UCLA reduced Cal’s lead to as few as four points (59-55) with under six minutes to play in regulation but could not tie the contest.

Jabari Bird scored a game-high 20 points to lead the host Golden Bears (20-8, 10-5), who secured their sixth consecutive win before 11,858 fans at Haas Pavilion. Jaylen Brown finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyrone Wallace logged 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for California.

"We didn’t start the game or the second half, defensively, how we would’ve liked," UCLA head coach Steve Alford said. "Other than that, I thought that defensively, we did some good things. This [Cal] team is a very good defensive team. They make it hard on you and I thought that we started to get into a flow in the second half."

Thomas Welsh totaled a game-leading 16 rebounds for UCLA (15-13, 6-9), recording nine points and two blocks off the bench.

Trailing 61-55 with just under five minutes to play, UCLA missed free throws on two separate 1-on-1 opportunities. Alford was unsuccessful from the line with 4:49 to play before Holiday missed the front end of a 1-on-1 chance at the 4:32 mark and UCLA still trailing, 61-55.

From there, California pushed its lead to 63-55 on a jump shot by Jordan Mathews. After the Bruins responded with a fastbreak dunk by Aaron Holiday, California was able to extend its margin to as many as 12 points with 1:54 left to play.

UCLA trailed from the start, falling behind 13-1 in the game’s first five minutes. Back-to-back baskets by Isaac Hamilton, who finished with 12 points, and Welsh reduced Cal’s lead to 13-5. With 12:02 left in the opening half, the Bruins had cut the Golden Bears’ advantage to 14-9.

The Bruins never led against Cal and saw the Golden Bears push their margin to as many as 12 points with 4:20 left before halftime. UCLA responded with a 7-0 scoring run to close the gap to 30-25 with 2:24 remaining in the first half.