Cal (10-4, 1-1 Pac-12) at No. 4 UCLA (14-1, 1-1 Pac-12)

Thursday, Jan. 5 | 6 PM PT | Pauley Pavilion | Los Angeles, Calif.

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BERKELEY -- After splitting their first weekend of Pac-12 play, the Golden Bears hit the road for their first true away tests of the season in a pair of games against ranked opponents, starting with No. 4 UCLA on Thursday. The Bears match up with the Bruins at 6 p.m. in historic Pauley Pavilion, live on ESPN and on the radio on KSFO 560 AM.

The matchup marks Cal's third game against a top 25 opponent in the last four outings, with the Bears seeking their first win over a ranked opponent this season. Upset-minded California has lost by five points or fewer to both its ranked opponents this season, falling to then-No. 12 Virginia, 56-52, on Dec. 21 and dropping a game to then-No. 18 Arizona, 67-62, on Dec. 30. The Bears were locked up with Virginia, 22-22, at halftime and led by as many as six points in the second half before Virginia pulled away. Against Arizona, Cal's lead grew to as much as 13 at 9:23 in the first half and the Bears led 32-26 at halftime. Cal saw 13 lead changes between the two contests.

The Bears are also looking to take their first win over a top 5 team on the road since March 2007. Coincidentally, Cal's last win over a top 5 opponent away from Haas Pavilion came against the then-No. 4 Bruins in overtime, 76-69, at the Pac-10 Tournament in Los Angeles on March 8, 2007. 

Thursday's action spotlights three players within the top 20 of Chad Ford's Top 100 2017 NBA Draft prospects in UCLA's Lonzo Ball (No. 2) and T.J. Leaf (No. 14) as well as Ivan Rabb (No. 16). Leaf leads the Bruins in scoring this season (17.5 points per game), while Ball is the nation's only player averaging at least 10 points, five rebounds and eight assists per game. Meanwhile, Rabb ranks in the top 30 in the country in defensive rebounds per game (10th, 7.92), rebounds per game (24th, 10.3) and double-doubles (28th, 6).

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: Cal's game at UCLA will be televised live on ESPN with Dave Pasch and Bill Walton on the call. The California Golden Bears Sports Network has the radio call from Todd McKim and Jay John on KSFO 560 AM. Follow the Bears on social media for a behind-the-scenes look at Facebook.com/CalMensBball and on Twitter and Instagram @CalMensBball.

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SCOUTING THE BRUINS

Last Meeting: Cal won its lone meeting of the season against the Bruins, 75-63, in Haas Pavilion on Feb. 25, 2016
Series Record: UCLA leads 136-103
UCLA's 2016-17 Record: 14-1, 1-1 Pac-12
UCLA's Last Game: Won at Oregon State, 76-63
• UCLA's lone loss of the season came last week at No. 21 Oregon, 89-87
• The Bruins have six players scoring in the double figures -- TJ Leaf (17.5), Bryce Alford (16.3), Isaac Hamilton (14.7), Lonzo Ball (14.3), Aaron Holiday (13.9) and Thomas Welsh (11.1).
• Welsh leads UCLA with 9.2 rebounds per game, while Leaf averages 8.9 rpg.
• Ball is the nation's only player averaging at least 10 points, five rebounds and eight assists per game.
• Seven of UCLA's eight regular contributors have recorded more assists than turnovers

CAL RECORDS AGAINST UCLA
Points: 36, Bob McKeen, Feb. 19, 1955
36, Mark McNamara, Feb. 19, 1982
36, Lamond Murray, Feb. 24, 1994
Rebounds: 21, Darrall Imhoff, Feb. 13, 1960
21, Camden Wall, March 2, 1964
FG: 15, Bob McKeen, Feb. 19, 1955
3P: 6, Ryan Forehan-Kelly, March 7, 2002
FT: 15, Lamond Murray, Feb. 24, 1994

LAST TIME OUT

The Bears earned their first conference victory in an 81-65 triumph over Arizona State
• Cal was 11-25 from downtown, including a five 3-pointers from Grant Mullins and two apiece from Ivan Rabb and Jabari Bird.
• Four Bears scored in double figures - Rabb (20), Mullins (20), Bird (16) and Sam Singer (10)
• Rabb turned in his second consecutive game of 15+ rebounds with 15 boards, and added four assists.
• Charlie Moore logged a career-high three rebounds and six assists.
• The Bears outscored the Sun Devils 36-18 in the paint.
• Cal shot 52.6 percent (30-57) from the field.

A CALIFORNIA WIN WOULD...

• Be Cal's first victory over an AP Top 25 opponent since Feb. 11, 2016 (83-63 win vs. No. 11 Oregon in Berkeley).
• Be Cal's first victory over a Top 10 or Top 5 opponent since Feb. 1, 2014 (69-58 vs. No. 1 Arizona in Berkeley).
• Be Cal's first victory over a Top 25 team away from Haas Pavilion since Nov. 20, 2014 (73-59 vs. No. 23 Syracuse at Madison Square Garden).
• Be Cal's first victory over a Top 10 team away from Haas Pavilion since Feb. 10, 2013 (77-69 vs. No. 7 Arizona in Tucson).
• Be Cal's first victory over a Top 5 team away from Haas Pavilion since March 8, 2007 (76-69 in OT vs. No. 4 UCLA in Los Angeles).
• Be Cuonzo Martin's first career win over an AP Top 5 opponent.

EYEING THE ISO

With the arrival of superfrosh Lonzo Ball, UCLA has vaulted into the country's top spot in assists (347) and assists per game (23.1). 66.3 percent of UCLA's made field goals have been assisted this season. However, only 46 percent of the field goals Cal has allowed in 2016-17 have been assisted.

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. California ranks sixth in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency according to kenpom.com, and the Bears are holding opponents to 0.910 shooting efficiency, a number that's fourth in the nation. 

Cal is also:
• 7th in defensive rebounds per game (29.93)
• 12th for field goal percentage defense (37.5 percent)
• 12th for three-point field goal defense (28.5 percent)
• 14th for scoring defense (60.3 ppg)
• 19th for total rebounds per game (40.86) 
• 20th for rebound margin (+8.2).

RABBID PLAY

AP Preseason All-American Ivan Rabb is living up to his billing this season, averaging 15.2 points and 10.3 rebounds.  He ranks in the top 30 in the country in defensive rebounds per game (10th, 7.92), rebounds per game (24th, 10.3) and double-doubles (28th, 6), and is 43rd for field goal percentage (56.3 percent).

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. 

THE KING'S COURT 

Okoroh's paint presence ranks among the best in the country, where he is top 20 in two categories. Okoroh is averaging 2.64 blocked shots per game, a total that ranks 19th the nation and fourth in the Pac-12, and his 347total blocks this season are 18th in NCAA action.

In a four-game stretch from Nov. 21 to Nov. 30, the Derby, England native set career-highs in each game. He started the string off by setting a personal-best rebound total of 9 against San Diego State, and followed the performance with a career-high 5 blocks against Wyoming. He capped off the week by matching both his career-best point (10) and rebound (9) totals and setting a new personal-best mark for assists with 3 against Southeastern Louisiana. Against Louisiana Tech, Okoroh set new career-high boards (12) and assist (4) totals on top of matching his career-high blocks (5).

PARTY LIKE A BLOCK STAR

Kingsley Okoroh is climbing up the Cal career record charts for his prowess in protecting the rim. Okoroh moved into No. 7 all-time alongside Brian Hendrick (1990-93) with 98 career blocks after logging three against Arizona State on Jan. 1. With 37 blocks this season, Okoroh has already surpassed 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) -- 105 
T7. Brian Hendrick (1990-93) -- 98
T7. Kingsley Okoroh (2014-present) -- 98

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
T10. Ivan Rabb (2016)     42
T10. Francisco Elson (1999)     42
...
Kingsley Okoroh     37

BIRD SOARS TOWARD 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 966 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. In the span of time since he returned to action against Princeton on Dec. 6, Bird leads the Bears with 16.0 points per game, alongside 5.4 rebounds. He has scored in double figures in six of seven 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. 

NEXT UP

Cal takes on its second top 25 opponent of the week at No. 25 USC on Sunday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m., live on ESPNU.