BERKELEY, Calif. -- Sacramento State's Jacob Holt (25), Julian Vaughns (18) and EJ Neal (16) all posted career or season highs in points, but the Hornets fell at Cal, 83-77, on Sunday afternoon at Haas Pavilion.

After trailing at halftime, 40-33, Sacramento State kept things close throughout the second half. That included taking its first since early first half at 46-45 with 15:48 to play. Sacramento State would add a Holt free throw to take its largest lead of the second half (47-45). However, from that point on, the whistles did not go Sacramento State's way.

In fact, after the Hornets took that initial lead at 46-45, Sacramento State was whistled for 16 fouls the rest of the way (19 total in the second half). Four Hornets fouled out of the game - Emil Skytta (4:33), Vaughns (3:21), Lachlan Brewer (2:40) and Bailey Nunn (0:25).

Sacramento State outscored Cal in the second half, 44-43, despite the Bears going to the free throw line 25 times in the second stanza. Of the team's 44 points, Holt (16), Vaughns (12) and Neal (11) combined for all but five of those tallies.

The Hornets trimmed what had been a 15-point Bears lead all the way down to five points on two occasions late (0:28, 0:19), but would get no closer. Sacramento State finished the game shooting 43% (25-58) from the field and 37% (10-27) from the 3-point line. The Hornets have now buried at least eight 3-balls in every game this season. Cal shot 47% (25-53), and went 26-for-39 from the free throw line.

Cal Improved to 5-1, while the Hornets dropped to 1-4. The two teams were playing for just the third time ever, and first since 1992. Sacramento State used 10 players in this afternoon's game, but were without starter Alex Kovatchev (injury). The Hornets led for nearly five minutes of game clock, including an early 10-5 advantage.

Sacramento State scored 17 points off turnovers, and shot 50% from the field in the second half.

Holt's career-high 25 points came with eight rebounds, two assists, a steal and a +8 in plus/minus. The senior forward has now scored 20+ points in back-to-back games while finishing 9-for-18 from the field and 4-of-10 from distance. Vaughns' career-best 18 points came on 4-for-6 from the 3-point line, and Neal's 16 points matched his season high. He also added four rebounds, and was a team-high +11 in plus/minus.

Deonte Williams had seven points and four rebounds, Emil Skytta seven points and five assists, and Nunn had four points and an assist. Brewer had six rebounds and two steals. The Hornets had 13 assists on their 25 made buckets.

Cal only used eight players, led by Andrej Stojakovic's 20 points (11-15 FT).

Sacramento State, in the midst four road games in its first six contests of the season, will play at Air Force on Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT.