“Unfortunately for this team,’’ Fox said, “we have to do that in public.’’
The Golden Bears (4-0), who have matched their best start under coach Mike Montgomery, will face No. 21 Missouri in a matchup of stellar backcourts in the CBE Classic title game Tuesday night, while the Bulldogs will attempt to regroup against Notre Dame.
Georgia shot just 33 percent from the field against Cal, including 4 of 19 from beyond the 3-point arc, and committed a season-high 15 turnovers that turned into 17 points.
“In all fairness to them,’’ Montgomery said, “we knew exactly what they were going to do, because that’s the same thing as my stuff.’’
Gutierrez was the man making much of the havoc happen, coming up with just one steal but often corralling the Bulldogs into his teammates, who were there to make the clean pick.
“He just gives all his energy,’’ said Cal freshman David Kravish, who grew up in suburban Kansas City. “He brings so much intensity that it raises everybody’s level of play.’’
To pretty spectacular heights on Monday night.
Justin Cobbs added 10 points off the bench for California, which shot 50 percent from the field, had the edge in rebounding and assists, and still hasn’t been tested this season. The Golden Bears led UC Irvine, George Washington and Austin Peay by at least 20 early in those games, and built their lead to that much against Georgia with 13:11 left in the second half.
“They’re a mature team,’’ Fox said afterward.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 10 to lead the Bulldogs (3-1), but he shot just 4 of 13 from the field. Gerald Robinson and Nemanja Djurisic each added nine points.
The Bulldogs actually led 25-22 with about 5 minutes left in the first half when Caldwell-Pope scored on a dunk in transition and Djurisic was credited with a basket after goaltending.
Brandon Smith’s only points of the first 20 minutes stopped the Bulldogs’ brief flurry and began California’s half-ending 14-0 run. Allen Crabbe hit a go-ahead 3-pointer, Kamp converted a three-point play and Gutierrez added another short basket.
By the time Cobbs scored just before the buzzer, California had extended its lead to 36-25.
