Cal Gets Hot Early, Tops USIU

BERKELEY — Billy Dreher of California scored all of his team-high 17 points in the first half and the Bears romped to a 121-97 victory over U.S. International Wednesday night in the highest-scoring game ever played at 58-year-old Harmon Gym.

Dreher, who leads the nation in three-point shooting percentage, made his two three-point shots. He has not missed in eight attempts from three-point range.

The 218 points topped the old record of 209 set in 1977 by Cal and Oregon.

Ryan Drew scored 16 points for the Bears (3-2), and Roy Fisher added 15 points and seven assists. Kevin Bradshaw led USIU (1-11) with 25 points.

The Bears led 63-40 at halftime, then extended their lead to 80-50 less than five minutes into the second half. The Soaring Gulls never were within striking distance the rest of the way.

In the first half, Cal took a 39-24 lead on a Drew three-pointer with 7:50 remaining before the Soaring Gulls made a comeback, rallying to within 45-37 on the second of Matt Tuite’s 3-pointers. But then Dreher and Drew heated up and put the game away.

With 2:11 left in the half, Dreher sank a three-point shot and was fouled on the play. He hit the free throw and the 4-point play gave Cal a 56-39 advantage. The Bears led 63-40 at halftime.

The 63-point half set a new Cal record for points in a half, eclipsing the old mark of 57 points against Stanford March 7, 1970.