NIT First Round: Cal vs. CSU Bakersfield

Tuesday, March 14 | 8:15 PM PT | Haas Pavilion | Berkeley, Calif.

TICKETS | ESPN2 | GOLDEN BEAR SPORTS NETWORK (KGO 810 AM) | LIVE STATS
 

California men's basketball's postseason slate continues when the Golden Bears open the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) against Cal State Bakersfield Tuesday night in Haas Pavilion. Top-seeded Cal and the No. 8-seed Roadrunners tip off at 8:15 p.m., live from Pete Newell Court on ESPN 2 and KGO Radio.

The Bears enter the NIT Tournament as one of the top defensive teams in the nation, leading the Pac-12 and ranking 19th in Division I in both scoring defense (63.1 points per game) and opponent field goal percentage (39.9 percent).  Cuonzo Martin's squad has also been dominant on the boards, ranking 13th nationally with a rebound margin of +7.1 rebounds per game. First-team All-Pac-12 selection Ivan Rabb is averaging 10.5 rebounds per game this season and has 17 double-doubles on the year, the most by any player in the Pac-12 this season.

Offensively, the Bears have four players averaging double-figures, led by senior Jabari Bird at 14.3 points per game. Rabb is second on the team in scoring, averaging 14.0 points per game and shooting 48.4 percent from the field.  Freshman point guard Charlie Moore is averaging 12.5 points per game while graduate transfer Grant Mullins adds 10.3 points per game and is coming off a 23-point performance against Oregon in the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament, going 5-5 from beyond the arc.

TICKETS: Tickets are available now via CalBears.com and are also available at the ticket window prior to Tuesday's game.

PARKING: No parking is available in the RSF or Lower Sproul Garages. Fan parking is available for $10 at the Ellsworth, Southwest Crescent and Genetics Lot parking areas.

OTHER FAN INFO: Cal's clear bag policy will be in effect. Doors will open 90 minutes before tipoff.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: ESPN2 will carry Tuesday's game, with Roxy Bernstein and Miles Simon on the call and live from Haas Pavilion. Todd McKim and Jay John will provide analysis and commentary on the California Golden Bears Sports Network on KGO 810 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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CAL IN THE NATIONAL INVITATION TOURNAMENT

Cal is making its ninth appearance in the NIT and its first since 2014. The Golden Bears reached the third round of the NIT in 2014, falling to SMU, 67-65, in the quarterfinals when the Golden Bears' current seniors were freshmen.

Cal's best result at the NIT came in 1999 when the Golden Bears beat Clemson, 61-60, in the championship game at Madison Square Garden. The Tigers led 35-27 at halftime, but Cal fought its way back to limit Clemson to less than 30 percent shooting from the floor in the second half. Down 60-58 in the final minute, guard Geno Carlisle tied the game and earned the and-one to put the Bears ahead. Sean Lampley earned tournament MVP with 16 points and six rebounds in the championship game.

California owns an 14-7 all-time record in the NIT, including one trip to the championship game. Cal has advanced to at least the second round of the NIT in seven of its eight tournament appearances. 

This is the fourth time head coach Cuonzo Martin has directed his squad to an NIT, notching a 2-3 record in the NIT postseason. He took Missouri State to the NIT in 2011 and Tennessee to the NIT in both 2012 and 2013.

Three of the last four times Cal has reached the NIT, the Bears made it to the NCAA Tournament the following season.

THE ROAD TO MSG

Tuesday's game marks the first stop on the journey to Madison Square Garden, where the NIT semifinals and championship game is played. The first round, second round and quarterfinal games will all be played at campus sites.

Because Cal is the top seed in its region, with an advance to the next round, the Bears would host each game at Haas Pavilion through the quarterfinals.

The dates for reach round of the NIT are as follows:
First Round - March 14-15
Second Round - March 16-20
Quarterfinals - March 21-22
Semifinals - March 28
Championship - March 30

SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS

Last Meeting: The Roadrunners dealt a loss to the Bears, 55-52, on Dec. 28, 2014
Series Record: Cal leads, 2-1
CSU Bakersifeld's 2016-17 Record: 22-9, 12-12 WAC
• CSUB clinched the regular-season championship to earn an automatic bid to the NIT.
• The Runners' defense allows just 63 points per game, a total that ranks 13th nationally. CSUB is also 6th in the nation at forcing turnovers (17.2 per game) and 14th for steals per game (8.5).
• Jaylin Airington is a First Team All-WAC selection who averages 14.6 points per game.
• Dedrick Basile (12.1 ppg) and Matt Smith (10.7 ppg) earned Second Team All-WAC honors this year
• The Roadrunners appeared in last season's 2016 NCAA Tournament field.

LAST TIME OUT

Cal fell to Oregon in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals, 73-65
• Grant Mullins scored a game-high 23 points, going 7-8 from the floor and 5-5 from downtown. He also dished out four assists without a single turnover, and added two rebounds and a steal.
• Charlie Moore (15 points) and Ivan Rabb (11 points) also scored in double figures.
• Kingsley Okoroh had 8 points, 9 rebounds and 3 bocks.
• Jabari Bird left the game one minute in after suffering a head injury.
• The Bears outshot Oregon, 43.1 percent to 42.9 percent 

HOME SWEET HAAS

Under head coach Cuonzo Martin, Cal has proved that Haas Pavilion is among one of the nation's toughest places to play. In the 2016-17 regular season, the Bears surrendered just 59.9 points per game, a number which ranks 17th in Division I action and fourth among major conference teams (Virginia - 50.6 ppg, Wisconsin - 56.1 ppg, Baylor - 58.7 ppg). The Bears also owned a +12.1 scoring margin while turning in a +7.4 rebounding margin and 5.2 blocks per game. Cal averaged 72.0 points at home, with three Cal players contributing 13 points or more on Pete Newell Court: Ivan Rabb (16.1), Jabari Bird (14.6) and Charlie Moore (13.7). At home in 2015-16, which saw the Bears go a perfect 18-0 in Haas Pavilion, Cal surrendered 62.8 ppg.

PARTY LIKE A BLOCK STAR

Kingsley Okoroh is climbing up the Cal career record charts for his prowess in protecting the rim. Okoroh has moved into sole possession of No. 3 all-time with 134 career blocks. With 73 blocks this season, Okoroh is tied for first among Cal's single-season blocked shots leaders and 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. Kingsley Okoroh (2014-present) -- 134 
4. DeVon Hardin (2005-08) -- 132 
5. Solomon Hughes (1999-02) -- 122

Cal Single-Season Blocked Shots Leaders
T1. Kingsley Okoroh (2017) --  73
T1. David Kravish (2014) -- 73
3. David Kravish (2013) -- 63

DOUBLE-DOUBLE STANDARDS

Among this season's active Pac-12 players, Ivan Rabb is second in the conference in career double-doubles with 29, behind Washington State senior Josh Hawkinson. With his 29 double-doubles, Rabb trails only Sean Lampley (1st, 30) among Cal players with the most double-doubles in the last 20 seasons. He is tied with Leon Powe's 29, and eclipsed Ryan Anderson's record of 24 with a double-double against Arizona State on Feb. 11. Rabb has 17 double-doubles this season, including 13 against Pac-12 opponents.

LONG RANGER

Jabari Bird's perimeter shooting is among the best in program history. With five three-pointers at No. 11 Oregon, the senior moved into the top 10 in program history for three-point field goals made, and ranks top 10 in three-pointer attempts and single-season three-pointers. Bird hit at least one three-pointer in a career-long 17 consecutive games from Dec. 17, 2016 to Feb. 22, 2017. he finished the regular season fourth in the Pac-12 in three-pointers made (58), and third in Pac-12 play with 44. In the record books, he checks in at:

Cal Career Three-Point Field Goals Made
1. Jerome Randle (2007-10) -- 252
2. Ryan Drew (1988-91) -- 214
3. Allen Crabbe (2011-13) -- 209
4. Jordan Mathews (2014-16) -- 201
5. Jabari Bird (2013-present) -- 187 
6. Richard Midgley (2003-06) -- 183
7. Patrick Christopher (2007-10) -- 164

Cal Career Three-Point Field Goals Attempted
1. Jerome Randle (2007-10) -- 622
2. Ryan Drew (1988-91) -- 560
3. Allen Crabbe (2011-13) -- 547
4. Jabari Bird (2013-present) -- 504
5. Richard Midgley (2003-06) -- 483

Cal Single-Season Three-Point Field Goals Made
1. Jerome Randle (2010) --  92
2. Jordan Mathews (2016) -- 89
3. Allen Crabbe (2012) -- 83
4. Jerome Randle (2009) -- 82
5. Jordan Mathews (2015) -- 70
6. Grant Mullins -- 69
7. Ryan Drew (1990) -- 68
8. Jabari Bird -- 65

MULLINS IT OVER

Graduate transfer Grant Mullins is working his way up the Cal single-season records for his fiery play from three-point land. Mullins connected on at least two 3-pointers in 11 consecutive games from Jan. 12 to Feb. 22, and has recorded at least one trey in 21 consecutive games, including one in every single game against a Pac-12 opponent.

Mullins is shooting 42.6 percent (69-162) from downtown this season, a mark that ranks among the Pac-12's leaders. In the regular season, Mullins ranked seventh for three-point field goals made (60) and eighth for three-point field goal percentage overall, and third in three-pointers made in Pac-12 games with 44, and 14th with a 41.9 percent three-point field goal percentage. 

Cal Single-Season Three-Point Field Goals Made
1. Jerome Randle (2010) --  92
2. Jordan Mathews (2016) -- 89
3. Allen Crabbe (2012) -- 83
4. Jerome Randle (2009) -- 82
5. Jordan Mathews (2015) -- 70
6. Grant Mullins -- 69
7. Ryan Drew (1990) -- 68
8. Jabari Bird -- 65

RABBID PLAY

Ivan Rabb ranks in the top 30 in the country in rebounds per game (13th, 10.5), defensive rebounds per game (15th, 7.42), double-doubles (14th, 17) and total rebounds (18th, 324).

In the regular season, Rabb, who broke the Cal freshman rebounding record last season, had an 11.4 rebounding average in Pac-12 play. He led the conference in rebounding and and ranked second in both defensive rebounds per game (7.6) and offensive rebounds per game (3.1). In five Pac-12 games this season, Rabb pulled down 14 or more boards.

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. He has since matched that streak with four consecutive double-doubles from Jan. 29 to Feb. 8. Rabb started Pac-12 play with a string of three double-doubles -- all three coming with 15 or more rebounds -- including a career-best 20 boards at No. 4 UCLA. He became the first Golden Bear with 20+ boards since Leon Powe in March 2006. 

MORE, MORE, MOORE

One of the most successful signees of the Cuonzo Martin era to date, Charlie Moore broke into several categories among Cal's freshman records with his performance against Oregon State on Feb. 24. He currently ranks:
Total Points
1. Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996) -- 590
2. Ryan Anderson (2007) -- 539
3. Jaylen Brown (2016) -- 498
4. Brian Hendrick (1990)-- 478
5. Ivan Rabb (2016) -- 426
T6. Charlie Moore -- 414
T6. Allen Crabbe (2011) -- 414
7. Leon Powe (2004) -- 409

Free Throws Made
1. Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996) -- 170
2. Jaylen Brown (2016) -- 142
3. Brian Hendrick (1990) -- 128
...
T5. Ivan Rabb (2016) -- 103
T5. Ryan Anderson (2007) -- 103
7. Charlie Moore -- 99
8. Tremaine Fowlkes (1995) -- 94

Assists
1. Jason Kidd (1993) -- 222
2. Jelani Gardner (1995) -- 175
3. K.J. Roberts (1992) -- 127
4. Shantay Legans (2000) -- 121
5. Charlie Moore -- 119
6. Ayinde Ubaka (2004) -- 108

Three-Point Field Goals Made
1. Allen Crabbe (2011) -- 62
2. Ryan Drew (1988) -- 60
3. Ryan Anderson (2007) -- 58
4. Shantay Legans (2000) -- 47
5. Charlie Moore -- 45
6. Richard Midgley (2003) -- 44

Moore is also on the cusp of breaking into several more categories among the Bears'  freshman records:

Field Goals Made
1. Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996) -- 206
2. Ryan Anderson (2007) -- 189
3. Brian Hendrick (1990) -- 175
...
7. Leon Powe (2004) -- 142
8. Michael Pitts (1980) -- 141
9. Allen Crabbe (2011) -- 139
10. Gene Ransom (1976) -- 136
Charlie Moore -- 135

Steals
1. Jason Kidd -- 110
2. Shareef Abdur-Rahim -- 52
3. Shantay Legans -- 51
T4. Butch Hays -- 42
T4. Michael Chavez -- 42
Charlie Moore -- 36 

BEARS BUILD ON DEFENSIVE PROWESS

With defense as a staple of head coach Cuonzo Martin's program, California has once again emerged as a force on the floor, where the Bears rank among the nation's elite. Cal is:
• 13th for rebound margin (+7.1)
• 19th for field goal percentage defense (39.9 percent)
• 19th for scoring defense (63.1 ppg)
• 30th for total rebounds per game (39.09)
• 30th for total rebounds (1,290)

NEXT UP

The winner of the Cal-CSU Bakersfield first-round contest will face the winner of Tuesday's fourth-seeded Colorado State vs. fifth-seeded College of Charleston matchup.