Theo Robertson’s big second half leads 13th-ranked California past Detroit 95-61

No. 13 California tops Detroit 95-61, moves to 2-0

BERKELEY, Calif. — Theo Robertson scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half, hitting consecutive 3-pointers during a decisive run, and No. 13 California won for the 33rd time in its last 35 non-conference home games by beating Detroit 95-61 in the 2K Sports Classic on Wednesday night.

Jerome Randle had 16 of his 22 points in the first half, Patrick Christopher added 18 points and five rebounds, and Cal shot 48.3 percent.

Chase Simon had 17 points, Eli Holman added 15 and Thomas Kennedy 14 for Detroit, which lost its 15th straight game to a ranked opponent since a win over Butler on Jan. 10, 2002. The Titans (0-1) faced a Pac-10 team for the first time since they were a No. 12 seed and upset fifth-seeded UCLA 56-53 in the first round of the 1999 NCAA tournament.

For the second time in three nights, the Golden Bears (2-0) had to work hard. Cal held off Murray State 75-70 in its opener Monday night, then a scrappy Detroit team in the Titans’ season opener.

Randle made all 12 of his free throws as Cal shot 30 for 35 from the line. The Bears are picked to win the Pac-10 after the program’s impressive turnaround last season in coach Mike Montgomery’s first year in Berkeley that concluded with an NCAA tournament berth.

Christopher scored five straight followed by Robertson’s six in a row during an 11-0 run after Detroit got to 50-44.

It gets tougher from here for the Bears. They head East next week to face Syracuse at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

Markhuri Sanders-Frison, the only newcomer to Cal’s starting lineup, contributed six points and six rebounds but was in foul trouble all game. He was whistled for his fourth foul with 14:53 remaining and went to the bench — which made it tough for Cal to establish an advantage in the paint. The 6-foot-7 center transferred from South Plains Community College in Texas.

Simon’s baseline 3 just before halftime pulled his team back within single digits heading into the break and Detroit used an 11-0 run spanning halftime to get back in the game. The Titans got to 40-36 on Kennedy’s basket at the 18:40 mark of the second half, then the Bears answered with an 8-0 spurt.

Junior forward Xavier Keeling made his highly anticipated return for Detroit after missing all but seven games last season because of a foot injury. He had six points, eight rebounds and three assists.

The Titans haven’t beaten a ranked team on the road since a win at No. 8 Marquette on Feb. 6, 1979, and the team’s slow start on offense didn’t help the cause at Haas Pavilion.

Cal started the game 7 for 17 to 5 of 18 by Detroit, which shot 4 of 18 from 3-point range.

Jamal Boykin grabbed 10 rebounds as the Bears held a 46-31 edge on the boards.

Randle’s points moved him past Doug True and into 17th place on Cal’s career scoring list at 1,224.

Detroit is 2-14 since 1935 when starting the season on the road — and hasn’t captured a road opener since winning at Toledo in 1977 when Dick Vitale coached the program.

This marked only the second meeting ever between these schools and first since Cal’s 32-28 win at Detroit in 1937-38.

The Classic benefits Coaches vs. Cancer.