Nojus Indrusaitis saved Cal’s exhibition opener with the kind of shot that can flip a night in an instant.
With the Bears staring at a 59-57 deficit and just seven seconds left, the transfer guard drilled a 3-pointer to lift Cal past LMU, 60-59, on Friday in Los Angeles. The game-winner capped a rally from 10 points down with less than eight minutes remaining and turned a sloppy shooting night into a win.
Cal had spent most of the game fighting its own offense. The Bears missed 20 of their first 21 attempts from 3-point range, and Indrusaitis himself was 0 for 3 before delivering the deciding basket. The junior guard shot 39 percent from deep at Pitt last year.
LMU still had one last chance, but Mazi Mosley missed at the rim as the horn sounded.
Michael Cooper, a sophomore transfer from Wright State, led Cal with 12 points. Jake Wilkins and Lee Dort added 11 apiece, though Dort fouled out with 3:22 left. Indrusaitis finished with nine points, and Jordan Ross chipped in seven points and six assists.
The Bears’ comeback got rolling late. They were trailing 49-39 with 7:42 remaining before Wilkins - the son of Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins - gave them a 53-52 lead by finishing a layup off a Ross pass and then knocking down the free throw that followed with 3:10 left.
LMU answered and reclaimed the lead when Jevon Porter grabbed an offensive rebound after a missed free throw and All Wright converted a layup with 32 seconds to play. But Cal had the final word.
The Bears shot just 32 percent overall, going 19 for 59 from the field and 2 for 22 from beyond the arc. They did make 20 of 23 free throws and turned 18 LMU turnovers into 19 points.
Wright led the Lions with 14 points. LMU shot 44.7 percent, finishing 21 for 47, but the Lions were only 4 for 17 from 3-point range and missed 10 of 23 at the line.
Cal coach Mark Madsen, entering his fourth season, started a lineup that included returning center Lee Dort, forward Sammie Yeanay and three transfers: Ross from Georgia, Wilkins from Georgia and shooting guard Amier Ali from Mississippi State.
Madsen led Cal to 22 wins last season, the program’s most since 2015-16, when the Bears went 23-11 and last reached the NCAA tournament. Cal was picked 15th in this year’s ACC media poll, while LMU was sixth in the West Coast Conference coaches poll after going 15-17 a year ago.
The Bears were down by as many as seven points with 2 minutes left in the first half before trimming the margin to 31-27 at the break.
Cal closes exhibition play Saturday, Oct. 24 at Oregon State. The Bears open the regular season at home against Adams State on Monday, Nov. 2.
In Other News...
Cals QB Outlook Just Shifted At A Crucial Time
Cal got a significant boost under center heading into Saturdays home game against No. 21 Wake Forest, with Jaron-Keawe Sagapolotele upgraded from questionable to probable. The quarterbacks status suggests he is likely to return after missing last week with a concussion, a timely shift for a Bears offense that needed clarity at the position as it prepares for a ranked opponent.
The rest of the availability report brought a mixed bag for Cal. Running back Adam Mohammed was downgraded to doubtful, while safety Kingston Lopa moved up to probable, giving the Bears a better look on defense even as the backfield remains unsettled. Wake Forest also got encouraging news of its own, with wide receiver Carlos Hernandez and defensive end Langston Hardy upgraded to probable. [Read more 🡒]
Cal May Have Found A Clutch Scorer As Offense Still Looks Shaky
Cals preseason tune-up against Loyola Marymount did little to hide the bigger offensive questions, but it did offer a glimpse of a player who might thrive when the game tightens late. Nojus Indruaitis delivered the decisive bucket in the closing moments of a 60-59 win, giving the Bears a needed bright spot in a game that was ugly in stretches but still ended with a confidence-building finish.
Mark Madsen pointed to Indruaitis and others who helped Cal hang around despite the rough shooting night, which is the part that matters most this early in November. The Bears still have another exhibition left before the regular season begins, and for a team searching for more reliable scoring, the final seconds provided at least one encouraging answer while the broader offensive picture remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Brings A Major Depth Question Into Berkeley
Wake Forest is heading into Berkeley with its injury report carrying plenty of weight, and California has reason to keep an eye on it. The Demon Deacons have six players listed as out, leaving their depth thinner than usual in spots that matter most, especially up front where line rotations can shape both protection and the run game. For a Cal defense that will be watching how the visitors handle pressure, the availability of the players listed as probable could end up being part of the early-game story.
Among the names to watch are wide receiver Carlos Hernandez and defensive lineman Langston Hardy, both listed as probable heading into the matchup. Wake Forest will need to sort through personnel issues on both sides of the ball, and that makes the health of those key contributors even more important as the week unfolds. If the Deacons can patch together their offensive and defensive fronts, theyll give themselves a chance to keep the game manageable, but the margin for error is already looking slim. [Read more 🡒]