Harris scores 20, Cross adds double-double and SMU defeats Cal 76-65

DALLAS (AP) — Chuck Harris scored 20 points, Matt Cross had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and SMU defeated California 76-65 on Wednesday.

B.J. Edwards had 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists for SMU (16-5, 7-3 ACC), which won for the fifth time in six games. Boopie Miller had 13 points, six rebounds and five assists.

The Golden Bears, who trailed by double digits for much of the second half, got within 61-55 near the five-minute mark before a three-point play by Harris helped SMU rebuild a 12-point lead at 67-55 with 3 1/2 minutes to go.

A 3-pointer by Cal’s Jeremiah Wilkinson cut SMU’s lead to 69-62 with 2:25 remaining then the Mustangs wrapped up the win with five made free throws in six attempts.

Rytis Petraitis had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Cal (11-10, 4-6). Wilkinson scored 16 points and Javon Blacksher Jr. added 13 points.

After a scoring slump of six points in 5 1/2 minutes in which they fell behind 21-17, the high-scoring Mustangs (83.1 points per game) regrouped and scored 22 points in the final 6-plus minutes of the first half. SMU led 39-29 at halftime.

Cal returns home to play Syracuse on Saturday when SMU hosts Stanford.

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