Double-double from David Kravish enough to lift Cal past Utah Valley 77-64 in NIT

Utah Valley's Mitch Bruneel (15) looks to shoot against California's Jabari Bird, left, in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the NIT tournament Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) (The Associated Press)

California coach Mike Montgomery reacts on the sideline in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Utah Valley in the NIT tournament Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) (The Associated Press)

David Kravish had 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, Jordan Mathews added 13 points off the bench and California beat Utah Valley 77-64 Wednesday night in the first round of the NIT.

The short-handed Golden Bears (20-13) played without Pac-12 leading rebounder Richard Solomon, forcing coach Mike Montgomery to go with a four-guard lineup to complement Kravish. It worked well, as the trio of Justin Cobbs, Jabari Bird and Tyrone Wallace repeatedly beat the Wolverines down the lane and with timely buckets from the perimeter.

Cobbs finished with 13 points and seven assists, Bird scored 11 and Wallace had nine points for California.

The second-seeded Bears will host No. 3 seed Arkansas in the second round Monday night. Cal beat the Razorbacks 85-77 on Nov. 25 in the Maui Invitational.

Holton Hunsaker scored 22 points for seventh-seeded Utah Valley (20-12).