Ivan Rabb leads Cal to 76-68 win over Oregon State

No. 3 seed Cal was nursing a four-point lead against No. 6 seed Oregon State.

In the Bears’ locker room, a teammate told the group that Beavers forward Olaf Schaftenaar couldn’t stay in front of Rabb.

Over the final five minutes of a back-and-forth game, Rabb hit two critical field goals, corralled four rebounds, recorded a steal and swatted a shot.

Guards Jabari Bird (20 points) and Jordan Mathews (17) provided ideal complements on a night the Bears’ two most dynamic players struggled from the field.

Cal shot 9-for-20 beyond the arc, notched 16 assists on 24 field goals and moved onto the semifinals for the first time since 2012.

Rabb attempted just four shots in each of the Bears’ two regular-season games against OSU.

[...] when he arrived Thursday at MGM Grand Garden Arena, the freshman reminded himself to stay aggressive.

Fouled on the play, Rabb hit the ensuing free throw to extend the Bears’ lead to seven points.

To reach the finals, they’ll need to escape a Utes team that boasts an eight-game winning streak.