Andrej Stojakovic and Cal hand USC its first loss of season

Andrej Stojakovic scored 20 points and Jovan Blacksher Jr. 19 and Joshua Ola-Joseph made several plays down the stretch Sunday night to help California beat USC 71-66 in a matchup between former conference rivals in the now-defunct Pac-12.

Cal (3-1), now in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the Trojans (Big Ten) played as nonconference opponents for the first time since 1921. The Golden Bears, who have won back-to-back games against USC after 10 consecutive losses against the Trojans, lead the all-time series 138-134.

Desmond Claude hit a jumper before Saint Thomas made back-to-back baskets in the paint to give USC (3-1) a 64-63 lead with 6:30 to play, but after that the Trojans made one of 10 from the field as Cal scored eight of the final 10 points.

Ola-Joseph scored in the lane to give the Bears a four-point lead with 1:51 remaining. Ola-Joseph grabbed an offensive rebound before Stojakovic made two free throws with 21 seconds left and then blocked a shot by Claude.

Blacksher made one of two from the free-throw line to cap the scoring just before the buzzer.

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Ola-Joseph finished with six points, seven rebounds and a steal — all in the final 12 minutes.

Claude, a 6-foot-6 Xavier transfer, scored 13 of his 20 points in the first half and Thomas finished with 15 for USC. Wesley Yates III scored his 10 points before halftime.

Cal earned its first nonconference road win since it beat Seattle 81-59 on Dec. 19, 2017.

The first half featured nine ties and 10 lead changes before Blacksher hit a three-pointer with two seconds left that cut Cal’s deficit to 43-42. Blacksher, a graduate transfer from Grand Canyon, made four of five from three-point range and matched his previous season high with 18 first-half points.

DJ Campbell hit a jumper and Stojakovic scored six consecutive Cal points before a Campbell three-pointer to cap an 11-2 run that gave the Bears a six-point lead with 15:37 to play.