UNC Crushes Cal To Win Their Sixth Game Out Of Last Seven, 79-53

January 15, 2025 

Chapel Hill, NC- Ian Jackson had 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting as UNC ran past the Golden Bears of California 79-53 Wednesday at the Smith Center. 

While Ian Jackson led the way with 20, Ellliot Cadeu added 15 points with a total of five players scoring for the Tarheels that ended up being a 15-0 run turning a nine-point lead to a twenty-four point lead 63-39 rout late in the second half. Ian Jackson scored seven points in the final five minutes as the Heels built their largest lead 77-50. Seth Trimble added 12 points for the Tarheels who improved to 12-6 overall and 5-1 in conference play. UNC shot 57% from the field and had a 10 point lead at the break. RJ Davis started slowly, missing his first four shots from the field, before swishing a 3-pointer off the dribble with about 40 seconds remaining in the first half. 

California falls to 8-9 overall and 1-5 in conference play. The Bears were led by Mady Sissoko scoring 16 points and Joshua Ola-Joseph adding in 10 points off the bench. Andrej Stojakovic son of NBA player Peja Stojakovic finished with six point shooting just 3 for 13. Stojakovic along with Jeremiah Wilkinson and Jovan Blacksher Jr combined for 5-of-33 shooting from the floor as Cal’s three leading scorers could not get anything going. It was the first time this season that Stojakovic finished with single digits this year. 

North Carolina is starting to find its groove here in 2025 as the Atlantic Coast Conference basketball schedule rolls on. After starting the calendar year with a loss to Louisville and going to 1-1 in ACC play, UNC has now won four straight games and clearly has some momentum going. The Tar Heels jumped out to an early lead over the Golden Bears, controlling the game from the tip. They were able to get that lead out to double-digits thanks to some balanced play all around. 

Cal shot 38% overall making 1 of 11 from deep. Sissoko scored eight of Cal’s first 10 points after halftime as Cal cut the lead to 9 within the first 7 min of the second half but would not get any closer the rest of the way. 

The Tar Heels won their fourth straight game while Cal fell to a 1-5 record on the road in conference play traveling cross-country. North Carolina is one of only four teams with one loss in the conference trailing Duke who is undefeated at 7-0.

Both teams struggled from deep. Cal shot 12% 3-of-25 while the Tar Heels were 5-of-14 for 35.7%. The Tar Heels only missed one free throw making 92.3% and 12 out of their 13 from the charity stripe. The Tar Heels outrebounded the Golden Bears 45-33. Both teams had 7 steals and combined for 23 turnovers and 19 fouls. North Carolina had 44 points in the paint to Cal’s 38 but crushed the Golden Bears in fast break points winning that statistic 16-2. 

California plays at NC State on Saturday. UNC hosts the Cardinal of Stanford, also coming from the state of California. *Stanford won at Cal in early December which was the first official ACC basketball league game for the teams.