By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer

SAN FRANCISCO — This was not the kind of showing Mick Cronin wanted to see from his team with Big Ten play right around the corner.

Chris Bell had 22 points and six rebounds and was named Most Outstanding Player, Dai Dai Ames hit two late 3-pointers on the way to 14 points, and Cal handed Cronin’s 18th-ranked UCLA squad an 80-72 defeat on Tuesday night in the Empire Classic championship game at the Chase Center.

Trent Perry scored 19 points and Eric Dailey Jr. added 17 for UCLA (5-2), but the Bruins cost themselves by shooting just 13 for 23 at the free-throw line in a matchup of the longtime Pac-12 Conference opponents. Skyy Clark was held to seven points and limited because of foul trouble.

It was UCLA’s last game before its Big Ten opener at Washington on Dec. 3.

Justin Pippen added 13 points with his former NBA star father Scottie in the stands as the Golden Bears (6-1) earned their first win against a Top 25 opponent since beating 21st-ranked Colorado, 76-62, at home in Haas Pavilion on Feb. 27, 2020.

Bell reached double figures for the sixth straight game with a third 20-point performance to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career. His baseline 3-pointer with 14:43 remaining put Cal ahead 49-46, then he converted a pair of free throws the next time down.

Perry’s three-point play with 1:59 left in the first half gave UCLA a 40-33 lead before Pippen answered with a 3-pointer from the top moments later.

UCLA outscored Cal 32-24 in the paint and outrebounded the Bears 41-35, but Cal shot 50% from 3-point range to outscore the Bruins by 12 points from behind the arc and had a four-point advantage at the free-throw line. Cal also turned 11 UCLA turnovers into 17 points.

Cal had lost 12 of the previous 13 meetings with the Bruins dating to January 2017.

The Bruins have an extended break before playing their Big Ten opener at Washington on Dec. 3, beginning a December schedule that features six West Coast opponents.