Cal looks more than capable of playing and succeeding without DeVon Hardin, just like in wins at Washington and Washington State.

There is no better sign for next season, assuming forward Ryan Anderson comes back, because the rest of the Bears nucleus will return for another go-around.

In the first half, the Bruins looked lethargic coming off their huge overtime win over Stanford on Thursday.

The key in Cal’s seven-point lead in the first stanza was the play of Harper Kamp and Jamal Boykin. Boykin scored eight and showed an ability to both hit a 15-footer and take his man off the dribble to finish with a jump hook. Kamp, on the other hand, was at his usual tenacious self, filling the void left by Hardin under the basket and ensuring Cal cleaned up on the defensive end.

Mainly, though, Cal is shooting 50 percent from the field, not a small feat at Pauley Pavilion. The announcers just called Cal two-touchdown underdogs… hopefully that football reference doesn’t lead to a reenactment of the Cal-UCLA football game.