Montana State’s Brandon Walker achieved a career-high 26 points in a thrilling victory over California with the final score of 63-60 on Thursday night in Berkeley, Calif. The game came down to the wire, with the Golden Bears desperately attempting two late 3-pointers to tie the score.
Trailing since the opening minutes, California had the opportunity to even the score when Robert Ford III missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 11 seconds remaining. However, the team’s fate was sealed when a vital 3-point shot from Jalen Cone failed to find the net, securing the win for Montana State.
Despite facing adversity, Montana State’s Patrick McMahon put up an impressive 10 points before being forced out of the game due to injury with 6:46 left to play. Compounding the challenge, another key player, Eddie Turner III, was unavailable for the game. Additionally, the Bobcats struggled with four players in foul trouble, and a 4-of-24 performance from beyond the arc.
Utah Arlington transfer, Brandon Walker, was the standout performer of the night with 26 points, leading his team to victory. The Bobcats ultimately shot 43% from the field despite their struggles from long range.
Cal’s Jaylon Tyson put up an astounding 27 points, with 19 of those coming in the second half, propelling the Golden Bears to stay in contention. Fardaws Aimaq also made significant contributions with 14 points and 12 rebounds, leading California to a notable advantage on the boards. Despite this, the team also recorded 16 turnovers in comparison to their visitors’ eight.
With two minutes and 34 seconds left in the game, Tyson brought California to within one point at 57-56 with two successful free throws. However, Montana State’s Brian Goracke responded aggressively with a crucial basket and two free throws to secure the win.
Brandon Walker’s 14 first-half points saw the Bobcats leading 33-27 at halftime, despite a poor 1-of-12 shooting performance from 3-point range.
The Golden Bears are set to face UTEP in the SoCal Challenge on Monday, while Montana State will be hosting a tournament of their own, with Green Bay as their next opponents on Monday.
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