Bird leads Cal past Oregon St. in opener

LAS VEGAS — California had a hard time shaking an Oregon State team that had won five games all season. The Bears ended the regular season with five losses in six games, so there was no way they could afford to lose this.

Cal found a way to close out a harder-than-expected game and now gets a shot to move on to the quarterfinals of the Pac12 Tournament.

Jabari Bird scored 20 points and converted a key 3-point play with 54 seconds left, helping California grind out a 6762 victory over Oregon State Wednesday in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament.

“We knew it would be tough just finding a way to win, get the rust off us,” Cal coach Cuonzo Martin. “Felt like we were playing with a 15-pound-weight vest on our backs. We found a way to get the win, and now we can move forward.”

Cal (20-11) labored for most of the game offensively and had a hard time containing Oregon State’s Stephen

Thompson Jr. The fifth-seeded Bears pulled it out behind Bird and a strong second half by Ivan Rabb.

The 6-foot-11 forward had 12 points and 13 rebounds after scoring two on 1-of-7 shooting in the first half, helping the Bears earn a rematch against Utah in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

The Utes beat Cal by 30 on March 2, putting a dent in their NCAA Tournament hopes.

“It’s not added motivation, it’s a game in March that we need to win, so that’s enough motivation right there,” Bird said. “But, I mean, Utah’s a great team, and like I said before, we’re looking forward to the challenge.”