BERKELEY, Calif. (Interstat) — A blistering second-half shooting display from Chris Bell and a suffocating defensive effort propelled California to a 91-73 victory over Illinois-Chicago in a non-conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Haas Pavilion.

The Golden Bears, improving to 22-10, used a 52-point second half to pull away from a Flames team that hung tough for the opening 20 minutes. The most important part of the game was a decisive 18-4 run by California early in the second half that transformed a narrow four-point lead into an insurmountable advantage, fueled almost entirely by their three-point marksmanship and forced turnovers.

Bell, a 6-foot-7 junior from Concord, California, was the catalyst, scoring 31 points on efficient shooting, including a perfect 12-for-12 performance from the free throw line. His scoring outburst, particularly a flurry of three-pointers during the pivotal run, silenced any hopes of an Illinois-Chicago upset.

The Flames, who fell to 19-16, were led by Elijah Crawford’s 14 points and 12 assists, while Abdul Momoh and Rashund Washington each added 14 points. Illinois-Chicago trailed just 39-35 at halftime and even took a brief 41-39 lead early in the second half after a Rashund Washington alley-oop. The game remained tight until the under-16 media timeout.

Coming out of that break, the Golden Bears unleashed their game-defining run. It began with Bell drawing a foul on a three-point attempt and calmly sinking all three free throws. On the next possession, he drained a three-pointer off an assist from Justin Pippen. After a California shot clock violation, the Flames cut the lead to five, but Bell answered with another three-pointer, this time assisted by DeJuan Campbell. Following an Illinois-Chicago timeout, Dai Dai Ames hit yet another three, pushing the lead to 53-45 and forcing another Flames stoppage.

The run was emblematic of the night’s statistical story. California shot a scorching 15 of 28 from three-point range, a 53.6% clip, while Illinois-Chicago managed just 4 of 15. The Golden Bears also capitalized on their opportunities at the line, making all 12 of their free throw attempts, compared to 11 of 16 for the Flames.

Defensively, California forced 14 Illinois-Chicago turnovers, converting them into 10 steals. Justin Pippen was instrumental on both ends, contributing 18 points, six assists and four steals. The Golden Bears’ 10 total assists to just five for the Flames underscored a more cohesive offensive performance.

Illinois-Chicago’s offense, which had operated effectively in the first half behind Crawford’s playmaking, was stifled after the break. The Flames’ offensive rating of 102.0 on 72 possessions paled in comparison to California’s 123.5 on 74 trips, highlighting the Bears’ superior efficiency.

The victory gives California momentum as they conclude their regular season, while Illinois-Chicago will look to regroup after the road loss. An announced crowd of 1,258 at Haas Pavilion saw the Golden Bears outperform pregame expectations, as the combined score of 164 easily surpassed the over/under line of 147.5.