Jovan Blacksher Jr. contributed significantly with 18 points, and Jeremiah Wilkinson added 14 as the University of California triumphed over N.C. State with a score of 74-62 on Wednesday evening.

The Golden Bears demonstrated a strong defensive performance, limiting the Wolfpack to just 2 of 12 shooting in the closing 6 and a half minutes, which included a stretch with nine consecutive missed shots.

With 13 minutes remaining, Rytis Petraitis connected on a 3-pointer to shift the momentum and put Cal ahead 47-46. Following that, Petraitis added another basket, extending the Bears’ lead to 62-54, just under seven minutes left on the clock.

California solidified their victory with a decisive 10-0 scoring run, reaching a comfortable 72-57 lead with around 90 seconds left in the game.

Joshua Ola-Joseph also made his mark by contributing 13 points, while Mady Sissoko was a force on the boards, pulling down 13 rebounds. Andre Stojakovic returned from an illness and scored six points, marking his first play since Cal’s earlier win against N.C. State on January 18 in Raleigh.

For the Wolfpack, Marcus Hill led the way with a total of 20 points. Unfortunately, this loss marked their seventh consecutive defeat, leaving their record at 9-13 overall and 2-9 in conference play.

Blacksher’s strong first-half performance included three 3-pointers, allowing him to score 15 points before halftime, as the Golden Bears maintained a lead for the last 12 and a half minutes of the game, including a peak advantage of eight points with five minutes left in regulation. Cal held a 34-30 lead at halftime.

Next up, California will face Wake Forest at home on Saturday, while N.C. State is set to visit Stanford.