Cal Basketball: Jaylon Tyson Scores 30 Points, Bears Top Washington State in OT

Coach Mark Madsen addresses the Haas Pavilion crowd afterward, thanking them for the loud support.

This one had first-year coach Mark Madsen so excited that he took the mic and went to mid-court afterward to address the Haas Pavilion crowd. “Thank you so much,” he said, “for everything you guys do to make this the house of pain.”

The crowd of 3,201 was feeling only euphoria after the Bears toppled Washington State 81-75 in overtime on Saturday, fueled by Jaylon Tyson’s second 30-point performance of the season.

Mark Madsen gets a happy embrace from a fan after Cal's win / Photo by Darren Yamashita, USA Today

Cal (7-12, 3-5 Pac-12) led 68-65 with 4.2 seconds left in regulation when WSU’s Myles Rice took in inbounds pass, used a shot fake to get Jalen Cone in the air and sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key as the buzzer sounded, forcing overtime.

Madsen explains in the video above that he told his players to foul if they could do it without risking three attempts at the free throw line. “We leave that discretion to our players and I trust our players completely with what happened,” he said. “Myles made a phenomenal shot. Our guys did a great job in overtime."

Jalen Celestine nailed a 3-pointer 35 seconds into the extra period and Cal never again trailed. The lead reached six points when Keonte Kennedy turned a steal into a thunderous dunk and the Cougars (13-6, 4-4) never got closer than three points the rest of the way.

Seven of Cal’s losses have been by three points or less or in overtime, and on Thursday the Bears fell 77-75 to Washington on a 3-pointer at the buzzer. So finishing on the right side of the ledger in this one was a big deal for the team.

“Man, we needed it. Losing close ones are obviously always tough,” senior Fardaws Aimaq, who had 18 points and 14 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the season, says in the video at the top of the story. “We’ve been in this situation before. Just to see that we’re growing from previous game and mistakes we made in the past is huge. It’s the right steps that we’re taking.”

Tyson said the Bears have remained optimistic through a series of disappointing defeats. “This was a good one,” he said. "I think we can start stacking them now.”

A 6-foot-7 guard transfer from Texas Tech, Tyson had 17 points in the second half then five more in overtime. He added nine rebounds, five assists, a steal and two blocked shots.

Aimaq, who played with Tyson last season at Texas Tech, called him “the best player in the conference, the best player in the country.”

Tyson now has 13 games of at least 20 points, including seven in the past eight outings. He is averaging 21.8 points over that stretch and 21.0 for the season, putting him on pace to become the first Cal player since Ryan Anderson (21.1 points in 2007-08) to average at least 20 points.

He scored 11 points in the final 3:25 of regulation, including a 3-pointer that brought the Bears within 65-64 after they trailed by seven with under 4 minutes left in regulation. Tyson then put the Bears in front by converting a drive to the basket with 22.6 seconds left.

“Jaylon Tyson, you can’t say enough about him as a player and a person,” Madsen says in the video above. “He’s a leader, he’s a guy who makes huge plays. He’s 6-7, he can handle the ball, he’s a great passer. He’s one of the best rebounders in the conference." 

Cone, who came to Cal from Northern Arizona, added 15 points, including three 3-point baskets and a 4-for-4 effort at the foul line in the final seconds of regulation and overtime.

The three transfers, who combine to provide the Bears 48.9 points per game, totaled 63 in this one.

Jalen Celestine had seven points and nine rebounds.

Andrej Jakimovski scored 23 points for WSU and Rice had 16 two days after going for 35 points in a win at Stanford.

The Bears complete a three-game homestand Friday night against Stanford, which will be Madsen's first opportunity to coach against his alma mater.

Cover photo of Jaylon Tyson celebrating Cal's victory by Darren Yamashita, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo