BERKELEY, Calif. (Interstat) — John Camden scored 25 points to lead California to a 79-70 men’s basketball victory over Northwestern State on Saturday at Haas Pavilion. The game was tied 37-37 at halftime before the Golden Bears used a 42-point second half to pull away. Camden, a 6-foot-8 forward from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, added two assists in 36 minutes. Dai Dai Ames contributed 20 points for California. Izzy Miles led the Demons with 22 points. Northwestern State kept pace early but could not match California’s second-half scoring. California improved to 10-1. Northwestern State fell to 2-8. An announced crowd of 2,738 attended the nonconference game.

BERKELEY, Calif. (Interstat) — In a game that was statistically closer than the final margin suggested, the California Golden Bears used a decisive second-half surge to pull away from the Northwestern State Demons for a 79-70 victory in nonconference men’s basketball Saturday at Haas Pavilion. The contest, played before a crowd of 2,738, was a tale of two halves defined by offensive efficiency and a pivotal shift in defensive intensity. Both teams entered the intermission deadlocked at 37, having traded leads and momentum throughout a first half that featured 10 ties and six lead changes. The second half, however, belonged to the Golden Bears, who outscored the Demons 42-33 after the break to secure their tenth win of the season against a single loss. Northwestern State fell to 2-8. The most critical phase of the game unfolded over a five-minute stretch late in the second half. With California clinging to a 62-59 lead and just under nine minutes remaining, the Golden Bears unleashed a 12-2 run that effectively sealed the outcome. The surge was fueled by a combination of stifling defense and timely scoring from their star tandem. John Camden, who finished with a game-high 25 points, drilled a three-pointer to ignite the run. Following a Northwestern State turnover, guard Dai Dai Ames connected on another three-pointer. After a Demons miss, Camden struck again from beyond the arc, pushing the lead to 68-59. The run concluded with a Lee Dort dunk off an assist from Ames, extending the advantage to 74-61 with just over four minutes to play. Northwestern State could not cut the deficit below nine points the rest of the way. Camden, a 6-foot-8 forward from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, was the offensive catalyst for California, playing 36 minutes and adding two assists to his scoring output. His performance continued a streak of strong play, having averaged over 14 points in his previous three contests. He was complemented effectively by Ames, who scored 20 points, and point guard Semetri Carr of Mill Valley, California, who orchestrated the offense with 14 points and a game-high seven assists. Dort, the 6-foot-10 defensive anchor from Dallas, Texas, contributed nine points, three assists and three blocks, his presence in the paint altering numerous Demons attempts. Northwestern State was led by the dynamic play of guard Izzy Miles from Huntsville, Alabama, who poured in 22 points in 29 minutes, adding two assists and a block. Micah Thomas provided 13 points and five assists for the Demons, while Landyn Jumawan of Honolulu, Hawaii, chipped in nine points. The Demons hung tough by shooting an efficient 45.8% from three-point range, making 11 of 24 attempts, and a stellar 86.7% from the free-throw line. However, they were ultimately undone by California’s superior ball movement and defensive activity. The Golden Bears dished out eight assists to Northwestern State’s six and recorded eight steals and four blocks, converting those extra possessions into points. Statistically, the game was remarkably even in several categories. Both teams committed 11 turnovers. California held a slight edge in field goal percentage, shooting 45.5% to Northwestern State’s 45.1%. The Golden Bears also won the battle on the glass, securing six offensive rebounds to the Demons’ four, leading to a 9-4 advantage in second-chance points. The most telling metric was offensive rating, where California’s more efficient attack proved decisive. The Golden Bears scored 112.9 points per 100 possessions, while the Demons managed 107.5 per 100. The victory keeps California’s strong early-season momentum intact as they prepare for a challenging slate of games. The Golden Bears are next scheduled to host Morgan State on Friday. Northwestern State, seeking to build on pockets of competitive play, will return home to face Southern University of New Orleans next Saturday. According to pregame analytics, California was projected with a 94.6% probability to win and entered the game as a 20.5-point favorite. The combined score of 149 points fell just under the pregame over/under line of 147.5.

BERKELEY, Calif. (Interstat) — A surging California men’s basketball team, off to its best start in years, looks to continue its dominance when it hosts struggling Northwestern State on Saturday at Haas Pavilion. The Golden Bears (9-1) have won nine straight games since a season-opening road loss to Kansas State, including Pac-12 victories over Utah and UCLA. Northwestern State (2-7) enters having snapped a five-game skid with a 76-68 road win at Southeastern Louisiana on Dec. 7. California’s success has been fueled by guard Justin Pippen, who is averaging 16.3 points per game. He is coming off a 24-point performance in a 93-71 win over Dominican on Tuesday and has scored 16 or more points in five of his last six contests. The Demons, from the Southland Conference, have faced a challenging non-conference schedule with road losses to Grand Canyon, San Francisco, North Texas and Texas A&M. They are led by guard Omar Adegbola, who posted 11 points and five rebounds in the win over Southeastern Louisiana. He had a season-high 21 points in a victory over Ecclesia on Nov. 14. In its recent win, Northwestern State saw strong backcourt production from Micah Thomas (18 points) and Justin Redmond (17 points). Replicating that efficiency will be critical against a California defense holding opponents to an average of 70.2 points. The Golden Bears boast a balanced attack. Alongside Pippen, John Camden (18 points vs. Dominican) and Dai Dai Ames (14 points, five assists) provide consistent scoring. California has won all five of its home games this season by an average margin of 22.4 points. This is the first-ever meeting between the programs. For Northwestern State, it is the final tune-up before opening Southland Conference play on Dec. 20. California concludes a five-game homestand before hosting Morgan State on Dec. 19. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST Saturday.