Pac-12 Tournament First Round: Cal vs. Oregon State
California begins its postseason slate with the No. 5 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament, ready to take on 12th-seeded Oregon State in the first round. The Golden Bears battle the Beavers on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The contest airs live on the Pac-12 Network and KGO 810 AM.
Cal is 4-1 in the Pac-12 Tournament against Oregon State, with its last postseason win over the Beavers coming in the 2016 quarterfinals, 76-68, after the Bears earned a first-round bye last season.
The Bears wrapped up the regular season just shy of the 20-win mark at 19-11, and 10-8 in Pac-12 play. Cal finished tied for fifth in the Pac-12 alongside USC, beating out the Trojans for the No. 5 seed with a 74-73 victory in the lone meeting between the teams this season.Â
Cal continues to lead the league in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 62.4 points and 39.4 percent shooting. Cal's 39.5 rebounding offense tops the Pac-12, while the Bears' rebounding defense and rebounding margin rank in the top three.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: The Pac-12 Network will broadcast Wednesday's game live from T-Mobile Arena. Roxy Bernstein and Don MacLean have the call, with Jill Savage reporting from the sideline. 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.
CAL IN THE PAC-12 TOURNAMENT
California owns a 14-19 all-time record in the Pac-12 Tournament, including two trips to the championship game in 2006 and 2010.Â
The Bears have been the No. 5 seed twice previously, losing in the quarterfinals both times. Cal fell to USC, 70-56, in 2011 and to Oregon State, 79-66, in 1989.
Cal won its opening-round games each of the last two seasons, defeating Washington State, 84-59, in 2015's first round and topping Oregon State, 76-68, in the quarterfinals in 2016.
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS
Last Meeting: Cal topped Oregon State by a series-record 30 points, 76-46, in Berkeley
Series Record: Cal leads, 86-61
Oregon State's 2016-17 Record: 5-26, 1-17 Pac-12
Oregon State's Last Game: Lost the Civil War battle to Oregon, 80-59
• Cal went 2-0 against the Beavers in the regular season.
Ivan Rabb averaged a team-best 17 points and 8.5 rebounds.
Charlie Moore averaged 13 points and
Grant Mullins averaged 10 points.
• For the Beavers, Stephen Thompson Jr. averaged 15.5 points in two games against the Bears. Drew Eubanks averaged 12.5 points and 8 rebounds, and Kendal Manuel averaged 11 points.
• Oregon State is 1-4 all-time against the Bears in the Pac-12 Tournament.
• Thompson Jr. is averaging a team-high 16.7 points in Pac-12 play and Eubanks is second with 15.6 points.
• Eubanks leads the Beavs with 8.5 rebounds.
• Eubanks was named an All-Pac-12 honorable mention.
CAL RECORDS AGAINST OREGON STATE
Points: 35, Joe Shipp, Jan. 11, 2003
Rebounds: 25, Bob Presley, Feb. 24, 1968
FG: 13, Leonard Taylor, Jan. 26, 1989
3P: 7, Amit Tamir, Feb. 6, 2003
FT: 18, Gene Ransom, Feb. 16, 1978
SERIES NOTES
Record at Neutral Site: 5-3
Last 10 meetings: 9-1
Most points, Cal: 101, 1970-71
Most points, OSU: 100, 1970-71
Largest margin, Cal: 30, 2016-17 & 1993-94
Largest margin, OSU: 36, 1987-88
Longest Cal win streak: 14, 1998-99 to 2004-05
Longest OSU win streak: 10, 1977-78 to 1981-82
Current Streak: 4, CalÂ
LAST TIME OUT
Cal fell short at Colorado, 54-46
• Three Bears scored in double-figures:
Ivan Rabb (11 points),
Jabari Bird (11) and
Grant Mullins (10)
• Rabb notched his 16th double-double of the season with 13 boards on top of his 11 points.
• Mullins dropped in two three-pointers. He has hit a three in every game of Pac-12 play.
•
Kameron Rooks had eight points and seven rebounds.
• Cal outrebounded Colorado 42-39 but the Buffaloes edged the Bears in shots, 34.0 percent to 27.3 percent.
• The Bears were one steal shy of matching their season-high nine steals.
CAL QUARTET EARNS ALL-PAC-12 HONORS
Ivan Rabb led the way among four Golden Bears who earned All-Pac-12 recognition. Rabb, an all-conference first team selection, highlighted the quartet, while
Jabari Bird was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention,
Kingsley Okoroh earned All-Defensive honorable mention laurels and
Charlie Moore took home an All-Freshman honorable mention selection.Â
Rabb led Cal in conference play with a 14.1 scoring average, and ranked second among the conference's leaders in both offensive rebounds (3.1 per game) and defensive rebounds (7.6 per game). In Pac-12 play, he notched 11.4 rebounds per game.
Bird picked up his first all-conference honor after upping his offensive production from a then-career-high 10.5 points per game in 2014-15 to 14.2 ppg this year, including a team-best six 20-point games.
Okoroh owns 64 blocks to date, a number that ranks third in the Pac-12 across regular-season play. He also ranks 13th for offensive rebounds, averaging 2.2 per game.
Moore's 28 points against UC Irvine still rank as the most by any Pac-12 player this season, and the fourth-most by any freshman in conference history. Moore is averaging 12.3 points and has already broken into Cal's top 10 in the freshman records for assists (5th, 110), free throws made (91) and total points (10th, 368).
DOUBLE-DOUBLE STANDARDS
Among active Pac-12 players,
Ivan Rabb is second in the conference in career double-doubles with 28, behind Washington State senior Josh Hawkinson. With his 28 double-doubles, Rabb trails only Sean Lampley (1st, 30) and Leon Powe (2nd, 29). He eclipsed Ryan Anderson's record of 24 with a double-double against Arizona State on Feb. 11. Rabb has 16 double-doubles this season, and 12 in Pac-12 play.
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. 4 all-time with 125 career blocks. With 64 blocks this season, Okoroh 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
4.
Kingsley Okoroh (2014-present) -- 125Â
5. Solomon Hughes (1999-02) -- 122
Cal Single-Season Blocked Shots Leaders
1. David Kravish (2014) -- 73
2.
Kingsley Okoroh (2017) -- Â 64Â
3. David Kravish (2013) -- 63
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. Bird hit at least one three-pointer in a career-long 17 consecutive games from Dec. 17, 2016 to Feb. 22, 2017. Bird is fourth in the Pac-12 in three-pointers made this season with 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. Richard Midgley (2003-06) -- 183
6.
Jabari Bird (2013-present) -- 180
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) -- 489
5. Richard Midgley (2003-06) -- 483
Bird is nearing Cal's single-season top 10 for three-pointers made.
Cal Single-Season Three-Point Field Goals Made
1. Jerome Randle (2010) -- Â 92
2.
Jordan Mathews (2016) -- 89
3. Allen Crabbe (2012) -- 83
...
10. Allen Crabbe (2011) -- 62
**
Grant Mullins -- 60
**
Jabari Bird -- 58
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 18 consecutive games, including every single game of Pac-12 play.
Mullins is shooting 41.7 percent (60-144) from downtown this season, a mark that ranks among the Pac-12's leaders. Mullins is seventh for three-point field goals made (60) and eighth for three-point field goal percentage through all games. He ranks third in three-pointers made in Pac-12 games with 44, and 14th with a 41.9 percent three-point field goal percentange.Â
Cal Single-Season Three-Point Field Goals Made
1. Jerome Randle (2010) -- Â 92
2.
Jordan Mathews (2016) -- 89
3. Allen Crabbe (2012) -- 83
...
10. Allen Crabbe (2011) -- 62
**
Grant Mullins -- 60
**
Jabari Bird -- 58
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 field goal percentage defense (39.4 percent)
• 14th for scoring defense (62.4 ppg)
• 16th for rebound margin (+7.1)
• 20th for three point field goal defense (31.0 percent)
• 22nd for total rebounds per game (39.50)
• 24th in defensive rebounds per game (27.90)
RABBID PLAY
Ivan Rabb ranks in the top 30 in the country in rebounds per game (10th, 10.6), defensive rebounds per game (11th, 7.57), double-doubles (16th, 16) and total rebounds (23rd, 298).
Rabb, who broke the Cal freshman rebounding record last season, has an 11.4 rebounding average in Pac-12 play. Rabb leads the conference in rebounding and and ranks 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.Â
NEXT UP
The winner of the Cal-Oregon State game will move on to face No. 4-seed Utah at 2:30 p.m. in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals. The game airs live from T-Mobile Arena on Pac-12 Network.
