While Cal was not close in their game against Florida Monday, they corrected a lot of issues heading into the Seton Hall game. The dam did not break, as the Bears held 21st ranked Seton Hall without a field goal for the final eight minute of the first half. Cal even took a five point lead with 4:37 left in the game after Andre Kelly made two free throws and Grant Anticevich had ten straight points, but the Bears would not have a field goal over the final five minutes, with Anticevich missing an open three off a well-designed play that would've given the Bears a late lead. Joel Brown would get called for a line violation off an intentionally missed free throw which iced the game for the Pirates, and sent the Bears home without a win in the state of Florida, falling 62-59.
"Just a really hard fought college basketball game against a really talented Seton Hall team," " I thought both teams played really hard, it was really physical. We rallied a couple times when they build some small leads and we just didn't make that last shot there."
Andre Kelly led the Bears with 23 points and 11 rebounds, going 7-8 from the field and 9-9 from the free throw line. This came two days after putting up only 9 points and five rebounds against Florida. Fox credited this to Seton Hall not starting Ike Obiagu, allowing Kelly to hit a few shots early against Tyrese Samuel.
"Tonight, they didn't start their seven footer," Fox noted, "which was an advantage for us. Dre got going and I thought he played really well."
Cal went down 21-13 early off a Seton Hall runout, but from that point on, Cal would not allow the Pirates to score a field goal. Thanks to the efforts of Kelly (15 first half points) and a couple baskets from Joel Brown and Jordan Shepherd, Cal would tie the game at 25, prior to a couple of Jared Rhoden free throws taking Seton Hall into the half up 27-25.
For the second consecutive game, Cal would have trouble with shooting fouls, giving up 15 free throws in each half, opportunities that ultimately kept Seton Hall in the game.
"We gave up 15 free throws in both halves," Fox said, "I'll have to look closely at the film for how many are our fault and how many were someone else's, but we have to learn to defend without fouling, you can't let a team take 30 free throws and overcome that. We made five more field goals in the game and lost, so we've got to clean that up."
The second half would be a back and forth affair until Cal's offense started operating with 16 minutes left. Jalen Celestine would hit a late in the shot clock three, hitting another a couple possessions later, followed by a Lars Thiemann block to a Shepherd layup in transition. Another make from Shepherd and free throws from Kelly and Alajiki would give Cal a 44-38 lead. Seton Hall would then score eight straight before Grant Anticevich went wild.
Anticeivch had 12 of his 14 points in the second half, with ten points coming on four straight possessions to give Cal a 54-51 lead. Anticevich's three with 5:07 left would be the last field goal Cal would make, and while Kelly and Anticevich would make five of six free throws down the stretch, a Bryce Aiken 3 would give Seton Hall the lead. Cal had one final opportunity down 60-59 after Shepherd drew a charge, but Anticevich, curling off a down screen from Kelly, couldn't hit his final attempt.
"Grant's a great shooter," Fox said, "and I want him to shoot that shoot every time. I thought Andre set a really good screen and it was one of the options we were looking for. It just didn't go in."
Notes
- Kelly now has three double-doubles through six games, and his second 20-point performance of the season
- Cal didn't hit a 3 until Celestine hit his in the second half, as Cal shot 33.3% from beyond the arc.
- Cal held Seton Hall to 34% shooting on the game, including 22.2% from deep.
- After starting in the Florida game, Makale Foreman did not come in until the final seconds of the game. He has been dealing with a foot injury, though the Bears wanted him for any potential last second 3.
Cal returns to Haas the Sunday after Thanksgiving for a date with Fresno State.