Feb 1, 2008

Anderson scores 27; Cal pulls an upset

Bears deal No. 9 Washington State first home defeat

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS / Associated Press

PULLMAN, Wash. - Ryan Anderson scored 27 points and California hung on to hand No. 9 Washington State its first home loss of the season, 69-64 on Thursday night.

Cougars star Derrick Low had a 3-point attempt in the closing the seconds that could have tied the score, but it rimmed out with a tick left on the clock.

It was a fitting end for the Cougars (17-3, 5-3 Pac-10). They finished 5-for-20 from 3-point range. Cal was 9-for-20.

Patrick Christopher added 16 points for Cal (12-7, 3-5), which broke a three-game losing streak.

Ryan Anderson, the Pac-10's leading scorer at 21.3 points per game, was 9-for-13 from the field, including 5-for-7 on 3-pointers. He added nine rebounds.

Cal center Devon Hardin, who was averaging 10 points and 8.2 rebounds, did not make the trip to Pullman because he was ill. Jamal Boykin, a recent transfer from Duke, started in his place and scored 12.

Kyle Weaver scored 15 for Washington State, which had not lost at Friel Court since March 1, 2007. Taylor Rochestie added 14. Low, WSU's leading scorer at 14 ppg, was only two for 11 from the field and missed all nine of his 3-point attempts. He finished with five points.

The game was played in Pullman even though the area was paralyzed by a storm that dumped a foot of snow, forcing classes to be cancelled the rest of the week and the governor to declare a state of emergency.

Boykin scored his team's first three baskets after halftime and Anderson followed with a pair of 3-pointers for a 47-39 lead.

Rochestie converted a three-point play and Daven Harmeling added a 3-pointer for a 56-55 WSU lead with 10:40 left.

With Anderson out after picking up his fourth foul with more than 10 minutes left, Christopher scored the next three baskets to give the Bears a 61-56 lead.

Washington State scored the next six points, with Rochestie's two free throws giving them a 62-61 lead with 3:54 left.

Christopher's stuff put Cal back on top 63-62.

Washington State kept missing from long range, making only one field goal for a nine-minute span before Low's layup gave them a 64-63 lead with 1:06 left.

Anderson replied with his first basket since coming out with foul trouble, for a 65-64 Cal lead with 40 seconds left. He added two free throws at the 20-second mark for a 67-64 lead.

Rochestie missed a 3-point attempt, but WSU was awarded the out-of-bounds ball with 9 seconds left. Low's 3-point attempt in the last second rimmed out to seal the Cal win and the Bears added a couple of free throws.

In the first, Anderson's long 3-pointer gave Cal a 28-25 lead with 4:40 left. Weaver's 3 tied the game at 35 with 40 seconds left.

Anderson had 14 in the first half for Cal, while Weaver had 12.