California Golden Bears Athletics
Friday, November 10
Berkeley, CA
9:00 PM
California
vs
UC Riverside
Photo by: Ariel Nava
Wyking Jones Era Officially Tips Off Friday
11/9/2017 12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Cal vs. UC Riverside
Friday, Nov. 10 | 9 PM PT | Haas Pavilion | Berkeley, Calif.
TICKETS | PAC-12 NETWORKS | LIVE STATS | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
California men's basketball officially enters the Wyking Jones era on Friday when the Golden Bears begin their 2017-18 campaign against the UC Riverside Highlanders. Action is set for 9 p.m., live from Haas Pavilion and on the Pac-12 Networks as part of the "Full Court Friday" special. The men's game is the nightcap of a doubleheader with Cal women's basketball, who host Saint Mary's at 5 p.m.
The Bears make their official debut following an 81-52 romp of NAIA opponent Providence in Monday's exhibition game. Cal's veteran trio of Don Coleman (20 points), Marcus Lee (17 points) and Kingsley Okoroh (14 points) all scored in double figures. Okoroh paved the way with a triple-double that included 10 blocks and 10 rebounds with just one foul in 30 minutes of action, and Lee added a double-double with his 12 boards.
Six newcomers also saw time in Monday's exhibition -- Darius McNeill, Jacob Orender, Austin McCullough, Jules Erving, Deschon Winston and Grant Anticevich. McNeill earned the start and led the entire squad in minutes with 35, and he and Anticevich each scored 8 points, the highest among the newcomers.
TICKETS & PROMOTIONS: Tickets for the game can be purchased in advance via CalBears.com or by calling (800) 462-3277.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: Friday's game airs live on the Pac-12 Networks, with color commentary and analysis from Alex Faust and Ben Braun. The California Golden Bears Sports Network will offer play by play and analysis, as well as post-game interviews, from Todd McKim and Jay John live on KGO 810 AM. Live stats, full broadcast details and more can be accessed via the Cal men's basketball schedule page on CalBears.com, and fans can follow the Bears on social media via @CalMBball on Twitter and Instagram, and at Facebook.com/CalMBball.
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
Last Meeting: Cal won, 78-61, on Nov. 11, 2004, but the win was later forfeited due to Cal's use of an ineligible player.Series Record: UC Riverside leads, 1-0, after Cal forfeited its win in the 2005 season due to an ineligible player.
• UC Riverside returns four starters from a squad that went 7-21 last season and finished 8th of nine in the Big West.
• Chance Murray is UC Riverside's top returning scorer (10.2 ppg) and rebounder (5.2 rpg).
• Dikymbe Martin leads all Highlander returners in assists at 2.6 apg.
• The Highlanders posted an 81-65 victory in an exhibition over Stanislaus State.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Bears defeated the Providence Argos, 81-52, in an exhibition.• Kingsley Okoroh logged a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocks.
• Marcus Lee added a double-double on 17 points and 12 rebounds, plus two blocks, one assist and one steal.
• Don Coleman tallied a game-high 20 points.
• The Golden Bear defense limited Providence to just 14 points in the paint, while scoring 48 in the paint.
• The Bears shot 81.3 percent (13-16) from the charity stripe.
CH-CH-CHANGES
After a busy offseason, the Golden Bears boast among one of the youngest squads in the country, ranking among the Top 10 fewest returning starts from 2016-17 (7th, 45), fewest returning letterwinners (1st, 2), fewest minutes played by returnees in 2016-17 (3rd, 1,167) and most scholarship freshmen (5th, 6).
CAL IN THE PAC-12 PRESEASON POLL
The Golden Bears were projected to finish 11th in the Pac-12 in 2017-18, according to a preseason vote by media who regularly cover the conference.Arizona is the favorite to win the conference, followed by USC and UCLA in the top 3. Washington State is predicted to finish behind the Bears at 12th.
Cal's worst finish in the last decade came in 2007-08, when the Bears went 17-16 overall and 6-12 in the Pac-10 to earn 9th place.
OKOROH ON KAREEM ABDUL JABBAR AWARD WATCH LIST
Kingsley Okorh is on the shortlist of the best collegiate centers in the nation. The Cal big man was named one of 20 players on the 2018 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.Okoroh enters his senior season following Pac-12 All-Defensive Honorable Mention laurels last year. He logged 74 blocks to become Cal's single-season blocked shots leader. The Derby, England native started 24 contests in 2016-17 -- appearing in all 34 games -- en route to averaging a career-best in points (4.6) and rebounds (5.5). During his junior season, Okoroh also averaged 2.2 blocks per a game and recorded four or more blocks in six outings, while also setting single-game career-highs with five blocks against Wyoming and 13 rebounds against No. 4 UCLA.
The list will be narrowed down to 10 candidates by mid-February, with five finalists announced in March and the winner crowned in April.
HAMILTON NAMED TO NABC HONORS COURT
Senior guard Nick Hamilton was recognized for his exemplary work in the classroom this summer, earning NABC Honors Court laurels. The Honors Court recognizes student-athletes who excelled in academics during the 2016-17 season, carrying a 3.2 GPA or higher.Hamilton boasts a 3.74 cumulative GPA as a double major in legal studies and media studies. The Inglewood, Calif. product saw action in 12 games during the Bears' 2016-17 campaign after recovering from a knee injury during the 2015-16 season.
OKOROH'S OFFSEASON
In preparation for Wyking Jones' style of press, Kingsley Okoroh spent his summer becoming a leaner, more mobile and more conditioned athlete. From June 19 to Aug. 28, Okoroh dropped 14 lbs. og weight, improving his lean body mass from 245.8 to 252 -- a gain of 7 lbs. of muscle. His fat measured at 8.4, down from 18.7 in June, including a nearly four percent drop in body fat from 9 percent to 5.1 percent.Okoroh worked with men's basketball strength and conditioning coach Jordan Jackson, with a primary area of focus in his mobility -- including the ability to stay into basketball stances and positions for longer periods of times, and opening up his hips to move better. Ankle strength for the 7-footer was also a focus. Okoroh's conditioning to lean out included utilizing the underwater treadmill at Cal's Simpson High Performance Center to put less pressure on his joints, and participating in low-impact cardio such as intervals on the elliptical. Okoroh, Jackson and team nutritionist Elizabeth McNear also met several times throughout the summer to tighten up Okoroh's diet and nutrition plan.
BEARS HOST "FAMILY DAY OLYMPICS"
With a family atmosphere as an integral part of the foundation for head coach Wyking Jones' team culture, the Bears held a Family Day Olympics to kick off their preseason. Student-athletes, support staff and their families came together at Thousand Oaks Park in Berkeley for a picnic followed by a competitive slate of games, including a three-legged race, motivational quote unscramble, obstacle course, limbo and more.WORKOUT WAYS
In order to prepare for a new style of offense this year, the Golden Bears were hard at work this offseason adapting to Strength & Conditioning Coach Jordan Jackson's workouts. Along with Olympic style weightlifting and conditioning, the Bears also participated in unique sessions such as hot yoga, conditioning on the campus beach volleyball courts and running the California Memorial Stadium steps.NEW-LOOK BEARS
California's new look extends beyond the nine newcomers on the squad, as the Golden Bears launched a 10-year partnership with global footwear and apparel leader Under Armour on June 1, 2017. The launch included a rebranding of several key athletics marks. The Cal script logo – one of the most iconic and recognizable marks in collegiate athletics – remains a staple, while two classic California symbols in the walking Bear and the block Ccombine to replace the old growling Bear logo. The Bears will also benefit from exclusive use of the custom Sather Stripe design, which pays homage to campus designs, including the Campanile.NEWELLY-SURFACED
As part of Cal's transition to Under Armour, the Golden Bears received updated facilities paid for with a bonus from the apparel giant. Along with new signage and decor throughout Haas Pavilion, Pete Newell Court now displays the traditional Cal script logo at center court on the first-grade maple. The old maple wood surface was used for 17 seasons, reaching the end of its functional lifespan. The Sather Stripe makes an appearance on both baselines, as does the new font, again spelling out California and Golden Bears.NEXT UP
The Bears continue opening weekend with Cal Poly at home in Haas Pavilion on Sunday at 1 p.m. The action airs live on the Pac-12 Networks.
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