Jeremiah Wilkinson scores 30 as Cal edges Miami in OT

Field Level Media|published: Sat 25th January, 23:32 2025

Jan 25, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Austin Swartz (23) drives to the basket against California Golden Bears guard Christian Tucker (22) during the first half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Freshman Jeremiah Wilkinson scored a career-best 30 points in his second start of the season, DJ Campbell had nine points in overtime and Cal extended the misery of Miami with a 98-94 victory in Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday at Berkeley, Calif.

Campbell finished with 22 points and Jovan Blacksher Jr. scored 11 for the Golden Bears (11-9, 4-5 ACC), who extended their winning streak to three games. The last two victories came without leading scorer Andrej Stojakovic, who has been out with an illness.

Mady Sissoko had 10 rebounds for Cal.

Matthew Cleveland scored 30 points, including a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation for the Hurricanes (4-16, 0-9), who saw their losing streak extend to nine games. Miami has lost 18 consecutive ACC games going back to last season.

Brandon Johnson added 16 points and eight rebounds, Paul Djobet had 12 points and Jalil Bethea delivered 11 for the Hurricanes, while Cleveland grabbed eight rebounds. Miami was playing without center Lynn Kidd for undisclosed reasons. He is averaging 11.1 points and a team-best 6.9 rebounds.

It was the first all-time meeting between the programs after Cal joined the ACC this season.

After the teams traded baskets to open overtime, Cal went on a 7-0 run to take an 88-81 lead, with five of those points coming from the free-throw line. Campbell made four of the five and went 7 of 8 from the line in the extra period.

Miami's Austin Swartz made a 3-pointer with 1:22 left in overtime before Blacksher answered with a trey to put the Golden Bears up 91-84 with 54 seconds left, and Cal closed out the victory.

Cleveland made two free throws with eight seconds remaining in regulation to pull Miami within 78-76. Wilkinson could have sealed the victory on a pair of free throws with seven seconds left, but made just one, and Cleveland tied it on a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left.

Cal shot 49.2 percent from the floor and was 27 of 36 from the free-throw line. Miami shot 45.6 percent and lost despite shooting 51.9 percent (14 of 27) from 3-point range.

The Golden Bears led by as many as 11 points in the first half and were up 47-39 at halftime

--Field Level Media

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