Cal (7-10, 1-3 Pac-12) at Washington State (8-8, 0-4 Pac-12)

Saturday, Jan. 13 | 1 PM PT | Beasley Coliseum | Pullman, Wash.
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California men's basketball looks for its first weekend split of conference play when the Golden Bears close out the third week of action at Washington State Saturday afternoon. Cal tips off against the Cougars at 1 p.m. from Beasley Coliseum and live on the Pac-12 Networks and KGO 810 AM.

A 66-56 loss at Washigton snapped a three-game road win streak for the Bears, but two freshmen emerged as bright spots in the losing effort. Justice Sueing turned in his second consecutive 20-point game, pouring in a career-high 27 points on an 11-for-16 shooting night. He's connected on four three-pointers in back-to-back games. On the defensive end, Juhwan Harris-Dyson led the Bears with a career-high five steals as California forced 20 Washington turnovers. Meanwhile, Washington State is winless in conference play after a solid start to the season.

The Bears enter Saturday's contest with three players averaging in double figures in Pac-12 play, led by Sueing's 20.5 points per game. The freshman forward is third among the league and second among freshman in conference scoring average. Marcus Lee is second in conference with a 68.4 percent shooting clip through his first four Pac-12 games. He's averaging 14.0 points. Darius McNeill is averaging 10.0 points.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: Saturday's game airs live on Pac-12 Network, with Greg Heister and Dan Dickau on the call. Fans can also follow the action on the Pac-12 Now app on mobile, and by watching at www.Pac-12.com/live on the web. 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.
 

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SCOUTING THE COUGARS

Last Meeting: Cal edged the Cougars, 58-54, in Haas Pavilion on Jan. 14, 2017
Series Record: Cal owns an 80-48 advantage in the series
Wazzu's 2017-18 Record: 8-8, 0-4 Pac-12
Wazzu's Last Game: Washington State dropped a fourth consecutive game to Stanford, 79-70
• Robert Franks (17.3 points per game) and Malachi Flynn (15.5) are the long Cougs averaging double-digit scoring.
• Franks (14.8 ppg), Flynn (14.8) and Carter Skaggs (10.3) are scoring in double figures in conference play.
• Drick Bernstine leads WSU in rebounds at 7.9 rpg.
• Flynn leads the Pac-12 in three-point attempts (133) and three-point field goals made (48).
• The Cougs lead the conference and rank 15th in the nation in three-point field goal attempts (490), while ranking third in the Pac-12 in three-point field goal percentage (38.2 percent)
• Washington State is winless in Pac-12 play.
• Pac-12 opponents are outscoring the Cougs 83.5-72.0

CAL RECORDS AGAINST WASHINGTON STATE
Points: 48, Ed Gray, Feb. 22, 1997
Rebounds: 20, Bob Presley, Jan. 10, 1968
FG: 14, Ed Gray, Feb. 22, 1997
3P: 7, Jason Kidd, March 12, 1994
7, Jerome Randle, Jan. 14, 2010
FT: 16, Ed Gray, Feb. 22, 1997

SERIES NOTES
Record at WSU: 35-30
Last 10 meetings: 7-3
Most points, Cal: 102, 1970-71
Most points, WSU: 101, 1991-92
Largest margin, Cal: 41, 1972-73
Largest margin, WSU: 22, 1987-88
Longest Cal win streak: 13, 1921-22 to 1959-60
Longest WSU win streak: 5, 1990-91 to 1992-93
Current Streak: 4, Cal

LAST TIME OUT

Cal couldn't push past Washington, 66-56
• Cal avoided a slow start, making it a four-point game at halftime, but the Huskies pulled away after foul trouble from Marcus Lee and Don Coleman early in the second half. 
•     Justice Sueing scored a career-high 27 points, going 11-for-16 from the floor and recording his second consecutive game with four three-pointers.
• Sueing also pulled down eight boards, one rebound shy of his career-high total.
•Juhwan Harris-Dyson recorded a career-best five steals and turned in a balanced game with seven rebounds, six points and a block.
• The Bears shot 42.3 percent for the game.
• Cal forced 20 Washington turnovers and scored 21 points off turnovers.

IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

As a team, Cal ranks in the nation's top 25 for:
• Blocked Shots Per Game -- 25th, 5.5
• Free Throw Attempts -- 15th, 428
• Total Blocks -- 18th, 93

Individually, Cal student-athletes rank in the Top 50 for:
• Blocked Shots Per Game -- Kingsley Okoroh (34th, 2.29) and Marcus Lee (50th, 2.06)
• Field Goal Percentage -- Marcus Lee (36th, 59.7)
• Free Throw Attempts -- Don Coleman (7th, 140)
• Free Throws Made -- Don Coleman (12th, 105)
• Offensive Rebounds Per Game -- Marcus Lee (20th, 3.41)
• Total Blocks -- Kingsley Okoroh (27th, 39) and Marcus Lee (38th, 35)
• Total Field Goal Attempts -- Don Coleman (43rd, 252)

SUEING HITTING HIS STRIDE IN PAC-12 PLAY

Justice Sueing is hitting his stride early in Pac-12 play as one of the conference's leading producers. He ranks second among all freshman and third overall for scoring average in conference play, averaging 20.5 points through four games. He's also second among freshmen in three-pointers made with 9 for an average of 2.3 per game.

Sueing has been especially superior down the stretch for Cal. In three games of Pac-12 play, the rookie is averaging 13.8 points in the second half of action. In back-to-back games against Stanford and USC, Sueing tallied a combined 13 points in the final minutes. Against the Trojans, he scored five points in the final minute, plus 13 of 15 in the second half. Previously, he turned in eight points in the final three minutes at Stanford, and 14 of his 18 in the game in the second half. In Cal's outing against UCLA, he scored 15 of 22 in the second half. He added 13 second-half points at Washington.

ROOKIES RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

With one of the youngest squads in the nation, California's newcomers have been pushed to step up and contribute major minutes to the lineup. Cal's rotation features three freshman starters, with two averaging in the double figures, led by Justice Sueing (13.6 points per game) and Darius McNeill (12.6 ppg).

Sueing is coming off a career-high 27-point game  at Washington and back-to-back 20 point games in his last two appearances. The forward was pivotal in Cal's come-from-behind win at Stanford, scoring 14 of his 18 points in the second half with the Bears down 17 points. Over the final three minutes, he scored eight points. Earlier this season, he scored a career-high 23 points against Chaminade, including 19 in the second half, and has scored in double figures in nine games this season while starting all but one game. His output comes after missing most of the preseason due to a stress fracture. 

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. He has 12 games of multiple three-pointers this season, and is currently on a four-game streak with at least one three-pointer.

Earning the start as of late is Juhwan Harris-Dyson, who's averaging 5.1 points and 3.3 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. Harris-Dyson has scored his career-high 10 points four times this season. His balanced game on the defensive end includes a career-high 5 steals at Washington. Like Sueing, Harris-Dyson's output comes despite a weight loss of 20 lbs. early in the season after a bout with the flu.

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 74 blocks so far this season.The Bears rank among the Top 25 nationally for total blocks (18th, 93) and blocked shots per game (25th, 5.5). 

Individually, Okoroh is 27th in the nation with 39 total blocks, and 34 th with 2.29 blocked shots per game. Lee is 38th for his 35 total blocks and 50th at 2.06 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 174 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 4.9 per game. The Bears are currently swatting shots at a pace of 5.5 blocks per game, with 93 total blocks.

Marcus Lee NAMED SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATE

Marcus Lee is one of 30 student-athletes from men's basketball programs around the country recognized as a candidate for one of the most prestigious awards in college athletics – the Senior CLASS Award. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ® , the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. 

Lee, a social welfare major, is no stranger to acts of community service, earning All-NCAA Community Service, SEC Community Service and Allstate Good Works Team recognition while he was at Kentucky. At Cal, he is a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Cal's Pac-12 SAAC representative, partnering with 23 Pac-12 student-athletes to change the views on equality empowerment. He has attended numerous community service events in the Bay Area and in Lexington, including serving a pancake breakfast to seniors, spreading holiday cheer at the Children's Hospital Oakland, organizing a blanket drive and visiting children affected by pediatric hospitalization.

From the list of 30 candidates, a committee will select 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award in February. Those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote open to media, coaches and fans. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four.

NEXT UP

California returns home to host the Arizona programs, starting with Arizona on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. Wednesday's game will be Cal's annual Gold Out game, and every fan in attendance will receive a free Gold Out Haas T-shirt. Next up, it's Jason Kidd Bobblehead night when the Bears take on Arizona State on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. The first 5,000 fans will receive a free Jason Kidd bobblehead.