Cal (6-7) at Stanford (6-7)

Saturday, Dec. 30 | 7 PM PT | Maples Pavilion | Stanford, Calif.
FS1 | LIVE STATS | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

As the month of December comes to an end, the Golden Bears look toward the beginning of Pac-12 play, opening the conference slate at Stanford on Saturday. California men's basketball takes on the Cardinal at 7 p.m. from Maples Pavilion, with the game broadcasted live on FS1 and KGO 810 AM.

Cal is 7-3 in Pac-12 openers in the last 10 season. Over that span, the Golden Bears have faced Stanford thrice to open conference action. Cal's most recent win at Maples Pavilion was also a conference-opening contest, coming as a 69-62 victory on the Farm.

The Bears wrapped up nonconference play with a 6-7 record, falling to Portland State 106-81 in the finale. Cal went a perfect 2-0 in true road games, bringing back wins against San Diego State (63-62) and Seattle (81-59). The Bears averaged 76 points, 37.1 rebounds, 6.7 steals and 6.2 blocks during the slate.

Cal begins its Pac-12 campaign leading the league in blocked shots (81), offensive rebounds (163) and offensive rebound percentage (35.4 percent), while also ranking in the top five for steals (4th, 6.7 per game). Four Bears are scoring in double figures through 13 games this season, with Don Coleman leading the charge at 20.5 points per game. Darius McNeill is one of two freshmen averaging  in the double digits at 13.4 ppg alongside classmate Justice Sueing's 11.5 ppg. Marcus Lee is averaging 12.2 points and 7.8 rebounds.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: Golden Bear action airs on FS1 for the first time this season, with the call coming from Aaron Goldsmith and Steve Lavin. Fans can also follow the action via FoxSportsGo.com or the Fox Sports Go app. 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 CARDINAL

Last Meeting: The Golden Bears fell to the Cardinal, 73-68, on Feb. 17, 2017 at Maples Pavilion
Series Record: Cal leads, 148-122
Stanford's 2017-18 Record: 6-7, 0-0 Pac-12
Stanford's Last Game: The Cardinal fell to Kansas, 75-54, at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento
• Reid Travis and Michael Humphrey have started every game for the Cardinal and are two of four players averaging double figure scoring.
• Travis leads Stanford with 21.4 points per game, followed by Humphrey's 11.6 and 10.5 points apiece from Dorian Pickens and Isaac White. However, Pickens only saw action in two games before suffering a foot injury and has remained sidelined.
• Humphrey leads the Cardinal in rebounding with 8.5 boards per game.
• Stanford is averaging 72.8 points as a team, and shooting 45.1 percent from the floor.

CAL RECORDS AGAINST STANFORD
Points: 41, Ray Murry, March 5, 1977
Rebounds: 22, Ansley Truitt, Feb. 4, 1972
FG: 17, Dick Tamberg, Feb. 26, 1954
3P: 7, Jabari Bird, Feb. 17, 2017
FT: 16, Jackie Ridgle, Jan. 17, 1969

SERIES NOTES
Record at Stanford: 75-73
Last 10 meetings: 3-7
Most points, Cal: 101, 1976-77
Most points, Stanford: 101, 1999-00
Largest margin, Cal: 40, 1946-47
Largest margin, Stanford: 51, 1999-00
Longest Cal win streak: 14, 1924-25 to 1929-30
Longest Stanford win streak: 9, 1996-97 to 2000-01
Current Streak: 1, Stanford

LAST TIME OUT

Cal wrapped up nonconference play with a 6-7 record after falling to Portland State 106-81 in Haas Pavilion
• Cal allowed 100 points for the first time since a 109-77 loss at Washington on Feb. 10, 2011.
• For the second time this season, Kingsley Okoroh tied the single-game blocked shots record with seven blocks.
• Deschon Winston scored a career-best 10 points coming off the bench for the Bears.
• Nick Hamilton tallied a personal-best 5 rebounds.
• Darius McNeill's 12-game three-pointer streak came to an end, but the frosh put up double figures for the 10th time this season.

IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

As a team, Cal ranks in the nation's top 25 for:
• Blocked Shots Per Game -- 12th, 6.2
• Free Throw Attempts -- 4th, 353
• Free Throws Made -- 6th, 252
• Total Blocks -- 10th, 81

Individually, Cal student-athletes rank in the Top 50 for:
• Blocked Shots Per Game -- Kingsley Okoroh (20th, 2.77) and Marcus Lee (29th, 2.31)
• Free Throw Attempts -- Don Coleman (4th, 120)
• Free Throws Made -- Don Coleman (7th, 89)
• Offensive Rebounds Per Game -- Marcus Lee (35th, 3.23)
• Points Per Game -- Don Coleman (41st, 20.5)
• Total Blocks -- Kingsley Okoroh (17th, 36) and Marcus Lee (26th, 30)
• Total Field Goal Attempts -- Don Coleman (18th, 209)
• Total Points -- Don Coleman (35th, 267)

ROOKIES RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

With one of the youngest squads in the national, California's newcomers have been pushed to step up and contribute major minutes to the lineup. Two freshmen are averaging double figures for the Bears, with Darius McNeill (13.4 points per game) and Justice Sueing (11.5 ppg) averaging above 11.0 points.

McNeill, a Houston, Texas product poured in back-to-back career-high point totals, starting with 18 points against Chaminade and improving to 22 points against CSUN, then topped it four games later with a 30-point outing against CSU Fullerton. McNeill became the 40th player in Cal basketball history to score 30 points in a game. Against the Titans, he also recorded career-high totals for assists (6), steals (5) and rebounds (6). Following his 30-point outing against the Titans, McNeill added 20 points -- all in the second half -- at Seattle. The rookie carried a 12-game three-pointer streak before it was snapped in Cal's nonconference finale against Portland State. During that span, he logged nine games with multiple three-point makes.

Sueing scored a career-high 23 points against Chaminade, including 19 in the second half, and has scored in double figures in seven games this season. His output comes after missing most of the preseason due to a stress fracture. 

Juhwan Harris-Dyson has also stepped up with solid minutes off the bench for the Bears, averaging 4.5 points and 3.2 rebounds. He came up clutch in Cal's 63-62 win at San Diego State, icing a pair of free throws with less than 8 seconds in the game to lift Cal to the win. 

BIG KIDS ON THE BLOCK

California's senior big men are among the country's best players on the block, with Kingsley Okoroh and Marcus Lee combining for 66 blocks so far this season.The Bears rank among the Top 20 nationally for total blocks (10th, 81) and blocked shots per game (12th, 6.2). 

Okoroh and Lee are both in the top 30 individually for total blocks and blocked shots per game. Okoroh is 17th with 36 total blocks, and 20th with 2.77 blocked shots per game. Lee is 26th for his 30 total blocks and 29th at 2.31 blocks per game. 

The 7-1 Okoroh has tied the Cal single-game record for blocked shots twice this season, recording 7 blocks against UC Riverside and against Portland State. He ties the number set by Michael Stewart (1994-97), which Stewart recorded thrice in his Golden Bear career. Okoroh has 171 career blocks, currently ranked third among Cal's career leaders. Stewart ranks second with 207 blocks, and David Kravish (2012-15) leads with 226 career blocked shots.

The Cal team record for blocked shots in a season is 161 blocks through 33 games in 2013, an average of 4.88 per game. The Bears are currently swatting shots at a pace of 6.2 blocks per game, with 81 total blocks.

NEXT UP

The Golden Bears return to Berkeley to open Pac-12 home action with USC and UCLA from Jan. 4-6. The weekend series kicks off with USC on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m., followed by UCLA on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 3 p.m. Both games air live on the Pac-12 Network.