Balanced Butler keeps Cal winless with 82-58 win

Dec 11, 2022, 12:27 am

BERKELEY, Calif. -- — Simas Lukosius and Jayden Taylor led a balanced attack with 16 points apiece, Eric Hunter Jr., had a double-double and Butler kept California winless with an 82-58 win on Saturday.

The Bulldogs (8-3), who won their fourth-straight, shot 55% from the field and never trailed, sending the Golden Bears (0-11) to their 14th-straight loss dating back to last season.

Chuck Harris had 14 points and Hunter had 13 with 11 rebounds and five assists. Manny Bates scored 12 points to put all five starters in double figures.

The Bulldogs shot 58% in the first half to take a 41-26 lead. They led from the beginning, jumping to a 14-4 advantage. Taylor drained a 3 and it was 22-11 before Cal used a 9-2 run to get back within four.

A late 10-0 run with Lukosius scoring four, had it back in double figures and a Harris 3 and Taylor layup made it 41-24 a minute before intermission.

Cal was 1 of 11 from distance and shot 34% overall in suffering its first loss of the season.

Hunter scored Butler's first six points of the second half and Bates made it 51-31 with a fastbreak dunk less than five minutes in. After Sam Alajiki hit a 3-pointer for the Golden Bears, Taylor's three-point play started a run of eight points and the lead stayed from 20-30 points the rest of the way.

Butler, which came in 16th in the nation shooting 49.7%, is home against No. 5 UConn next Saturday to start Big East play.

Grant Newell and Devin Askew both had 17 points for Cal, went 3 of 21 from 3-point range and shot 35%. The Golden Bears play at Santa Clara on Dec. 18.

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