Cal (9-4, 0-1 Pac-12) vs. Arizona State (8-6, 1-0 Pac-12)
BERKELEY --Â With two consecutive losses in Haas Pavilion, California men's basketball looks to get back on track on Sunday when the Golden Bears host Arizona State to cap off a five-game homestand. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on Pete Newell Court, and the game airs live on the Pac-12 Network and on KGO 810 AM.
The Bears are 2-2 against the Sun Devils under head coach
Cuonzo Martin and are seeking their third consecutive win over Arizona State after sweeping the series in 2015-16.
Cal has suffered back-to-back losses to top 20 opponents at home, falling to No 12 Virginia 56-52 and dropping the Pac-12 opener to No. 18 Arizona, 67-62.
Ivan Rabb, who ranks third among Bears with 14.7 points per game, pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds to go along with 16 points in the conference opener against the Wildcats.
Jabari Bird poured in 16 points, and
Charlie Moore added 14.
Cal leads the league in scoring defense (59.9 ppg), field goal percentage defense (37.3 percent), three-point field goal percentage defense (28.5 percent) and defensive rebound percentage (77.5 percent). Rabb is top 10 in the conference in rebounding (4th, 9.8 rpg), field goal percentage (55.0 percent) and defensive rebounds (7.5 d-rpg).
Charlie Moore checks into the league's top 10 in scoring (15.8 ppg) and steals (1.3 spg), and
Kingsley Okoroh's paint presence has him at fourth for blocks (2.6 bpg) and sixth for offensive rebounds (2.7 o-rpg).
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: Purchase game tickets on CalBears.com or call (800) 462-3277. Watch live on Pac-12 Network, with Bill Walton and Darron Sutton on the call. The California Golden Bears Sports Network (KGO 810 AM) has the radio call from Todd McKim and
Jay John. Follow the Bears on social media for a behind-the-scenes look at Facebook.com/CalMensBball and on Twitter and Instagram @CalMensBball.
SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS
Last Meeting: Cal swept its 2015-16 series with the Sun Devils, winning 68-65 on March 5, 2016
Series Record: Arizona State leads, 40-39
Arizona State's 2016-17 Record: 8-6, 1-0 Pac-12
Arizona State's Last Game: Topped Stanford, 98-93
• Arizona State has scored 80+ points in eight games this season, and is outscoring opponents by an average of 83.5-82.5
• ASU leads the Pac-12 in 3-pointer attempts (383) and is 16th in the country.
• The Sun Devils top Pac-12 opponents for turnover margin (2.6) and are second in the league for turnovers forced (14.07) and turnovers per game (11.4).
• Four Sun Devils are own double-figure scoring averages: Torian Graham (18.6 points per game), Tra Holder (17.4), Shannon Evans II (15.9) and Obinna Oleka (12.9)
• Oleka has eight double-doubles this season.
CAL RECORDS AGAINST ARIZONA STATE
Points: 36, Jackie Ridgle, Dec. 30, 1968
Rebounds: 18, Mark McNamara, Feb. 28, 1981
FG: 12, Leonard Taylor, Jan. 5, 1989
3P: 5, four times, last by Patrick Christopher, Jan. 17, 2008
FT: 20, Dave Butler, Feb. 26, 1987
LAST TIME OUT
California dropped its Pac-12 opener to No. 18 Arizona, 67-62
• Arizona overcame a 13-point deficit for the win.
•
Ivan Rabb notched his fifth double-double of the season with a career-high 16 rebounds alongside 16 points, two assists, two blocks and a steal.
•
Jabari Bird added 16 points and seven rebounds.
•
Charlie Moore scored in double figures for the 10th time this season, putting up 12 points for the Bears.
•
Kingsley Okoroh logged 4 blocks, and Cal tallied six total blocks.
• For the first time all season, an opponent outrebounded Cal. Arizona led 39-34 on the boards.Â
DEFENDING THE HOME COURT
Cal's defense has been particularly stingy inside Haas Pavilion this year, with the Bears surrendering just 59.1 ppg and holding opponents to 37.2 percent shooting from the floor. Cal owns a +6.8 rebounding margin and is averaging 5.0 blocks per game. The Bears are averaging 72.7 points at home, including four 80-point games. Individually, three Cal players are contributing 15+ point scoring averages at home:
Ivan Rabb (16.1),
Charlie Moore (16.1 points per game) and
Jabari Bird (15.0).
BEARS BUILD ON DEFENSIVE PROWESS
With defense as a staple of head coach
Cuonzo Martin's program, California is once again emerging as a force on the floor, where the Bears rank among the nation's elite. The Bears are holding opponents to 0.904 shooting efficiency, a number that's fifth in the nation. Cal is 10th in defensive rebounds per game (29.92), 11th for field goal percentage defense (37.3 percent), 12th for scoring defense (59.9 ppg), 15th for three-point field goal defense (28.5 percent).
RABBID PLAY
AP Preseason All-American
Ivan Rabb is living up to his billing this season, averaging 14.7 points and 9.8 rebounds. In back-to-back games, Rabb scored a then career-best 25 points in Cal's OT win over Louisiana Tech, then followed it up with a 26-point game against Alcorn State. He scored the 26 points on a 10-12 outing from the floor and 6-7 clip at the charity stripe in just 29 minutes. Rabb upped his career-high rebound total to 16 against 18th-ranked Arizona, and owns a team-best five double-doubles this season.
Rabb made his return to the Cal lineup for the first time this season against San Diego State, where he came off the bench and logged a team-high 30 minutes of action. Though Rabb had just three points in the first half on a 3-5 performance at the charity stripe, he finished the game only two points shy of his career-high total with 19 points. After returning from injury, Rabb posted a career-long four-game double-double streak.Â
PARTY LIKE A BLOCK STAR
Kingsley Okoroh is climbing up the Cal career record charts for his prowess in protecting the rim. Okoroh currently ranks eighth all-time with 95 career blocked shots. With 34 blocks this season, Okoroh has topped his previous single-season high of 33 blocks across 34 games in 2015-16.
Cal Career Blocked Shots Leaders
1. David Kravish (2012-15) -- 226
2. Michael Stewart (1994-97) -- 207
3. DeVon Hardin (2005-08) -- 132
...
6. Tom Schneiderjohn (1976-79) -- 105Â
7. Brian Hendrick (1990-93) -- 98
8. Kingsley Okoroh (2014-present) -- 95
Cal Single-Season Blocked Shots Leaders
1. David Kravish (2014)................................ 73
2. David Kravish (2013)................................ 63
3. Michael Stewart (1994) ........................... 59
...
8. DeVon Hardin (2006)............................... 48
9. Michael Stewart (1996)............................ 43
10.
Ivan Rabb (2016)..................................... 42
Francisco Elson (1999)............................ 42Â
BIRD EYES 1,000
Senior guard
Jabari Bird is looking to be the first Bear this season to join Cal's 1,000-point club. Bird, who currently owns 950 career points, would be the 47th Golden Bear to score 1,000 points in his Cal career. The Bears lost two 1,000-point club members last season with the departures of
Tyrone Wallace (1,613) and
Jordan Mathews (1,202).
Bird has been a spark for the Bears this season. After missing six games with a back injury, he paved the way for Cal's record-breaking win over Cal Poly with a career-high 25 points. Since his return against Princeton on Dec. 6, Bird is averaging a team-leading 16.0 points per game in that span, plus 5.8 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures in five of six appearances since his return, including two 20-point outings against Seton Hall and Cal Poly and a team-high 15 against 12th-ranked Virginia. Bird was also one point shy of his first career double-double with his 22 point, nine-rebound performance vs. the Pirates.Â
NEXT UP
The Bears are set for their first true road games of the season and first road trip of Pac-12 play, taking on UCLA on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 6 p.m. and USC on Sunday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.
