California 79, Washington 75

2/2/2008 7:50 PM

By TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) -Patrick Christopher's 3-pointer with 24 seconds left gave California the lead for good, Ryan Anderson scored 33 points, including 15 straight midway through the second half, and the Golden Bears held off Washington 79-75 on Saturday.

Anderson was unstoppable for much of the second half, but it was Christopher taking the big shot in the closing seconds as Cal avoided blowing a late nine-point lead. Christopher tried to find Anderson on the low block, but instead took the jumper over Washington's Justin Holiday.

Ryan Appleby tossed up an airball on a rushed a 3-pointer at the other end for Washington, and Christopher hit a pair of free throws to give Cal a 77-72 lead with 16 seconds left.

Justin Dentmon answered with a quick 3 for Washington, but Eric Vierneisel hit two more free throws to seal the win for the Bears.

California (13-7, 4-5 Pac-10) completed a sweep of the Washington schools, despite playing without center DeVon Hardin, who was sick and didn't make the trip north. The Bears stunned No. 9 Washington State 69-64 on Thursday night in Pullman.

Christopher finished with 20 points, and Jerome Randle added 16 for the Bears.

Appleby overcame a horrid first half of shooting to score 16 of his 19 in the second half and nearly rallied the Huskies (12-10, 3-5) from a 65-56 deficit. Light-scoring Artem Wallace, averaging just 2.3 points and 1.8 rebounds for the season, had career-highs of 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Jon Brockman, the Huskies' leading scorer, was saddled with foul trouble all game and finished with 15 points and only four rebounds. Washington continued its season-long struggle at the free throw line, making just 8 of 18 attempts.

Anderson hit 11 of 19 shots, four 3-pointers and scored 30-plus points for the fourth time this season. He also grabbed 17 rebounds and was at his best in the second half when the Bears rallied from a six-point deficit.

Anderson started his impressive scoring run on a 3-pointer with 12:50 left to pull the Bears within 51-49. He added two more 3-pointers during the run, and gave Cal the lead for good at 53-51, capping a seven-point flurry with a turnaround bank shot from the low block. It was Cal's first lead since 5-4.

Christopher added a lob dunk and Randle scored to give Cal a 65-56 lead before Appleby knocked down a 3-pointer to finally stem the tide for Washington.

After a Christopher three-point play, Appleby scored five straight for Washington to get back within 70-66. Randle nearly turned the ball over twice on Cal's next possession, but regrouped to hit a floater in the lane for a 72-66 lead with 2:48 left.

After a Brockman free throw, Randle was called for an offensive foul, and Appleby hit his fourth 3-pointer of the second half. Anderson missed for Cal and two Venoy Overton free throws brought Washington even at 72-all with 1:20 left.

Anderson missed a forced 3-pointer while closely guarded by Wallace with about 40 seconds left, but the rebound was tapped back to Anderson and Cal called timeout with 37 seconds left, setting up Christopher's winning shot.